The Sharpest Lives
by HallowFeather136
Summary: A Slytherin and a Gryffindor can never work right? Especially when the Slytherin is the daughter of well known Death Eater Lucius Malfoy and the Gryffindor is Harry Potter. But maybe Emily wasn't supposed to be a Slytherin after all...
1. I'll Take My Chances

I just kept running the crumpled letter tight in my fist.

_If it ever gets too bad, just go to Grimmauld Place. That's all I can tell you, but there will be help for you there. _

_ Harry_

I sincerely hoped he was right because I really didn't have much of a head start before my brother told my parents what I was doing and I needed to be far enough away so they couldn't find me when it happened.

By the time I saw the street sign that said Grimmauld Place; I was out of breath and clutching a stitch in my side. I sat down across from a tree and decided to catch my breath while I waited for someone to find me. I barely had time to sit down though before there was a flash of red light and everything went black.

"Why do you think she's here?"  
"I don't know. How did she even know where to go?"

"She's his daughter! Why on earth would she come running into the Headquarters of Order members?"

I groaned and sat up rubbing my eyes. "What the _heck _did you guys stun me for? I was just sitting there waiting for someone to find me. I wasn't doing anything bad, and I don't appreciate the accusation." I opened my eyes to find myself surrounded by several different 'Order' members. Remus Lupin, Nyphmadora Tonks, Arthur and Molly Weasley, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Mad-Eye Moody and notorious mass murderer Sirius Black.

They all seemed too shocked to speak and I considered myself accomplished.

"Is she awake? Let me through!" I smiled recognizing the voice and couldn't help the familiar jump in my heart at my boyfriend's concern. "Emily, are you all right?"

I nodded, "I would be a lot better if someone hadn't _stunned _me." I said glaring accusingly at the people around me.

"You guys stunned her? She wasn't doing anything wrong!" Harry turned back to me and placed his hands on my face feeling for any injuries. "Are you sure you're all right?"

I placed my hands on top of his and squeezed them. "Harry, I'm fine. I got out before the real trouble could start."

"What the _hell _is she doing here?" I heard Ron Weasley say as he came up behind Harry followed by Hermione Granger.

I turned back to Harry. "You haven't told them I suppose?" I asked him.

"Well you haven't either." He retorted.

"Ah, but if I told my family, I would be murdered. I think that's a pretty good excuse." I told him smiling so he knew I wasn't mad.

"Tell us what?" Everybody seemed to chorus.

Harry looked at me for and I stood up beside him grabbing his elbow for support. "Harry and I- well," I took a deep breath.

"Emily's my girlfriend," Harry said as my hand slid down to entwine with his.

Everybody stared at us mouth's open for a moment before the yelling started.

"Harry what were you thinking!"

"Her father's a Death Eater!"

"Her brother is a filthy cockroach!"

Now if it was anyone else was being talked to like that they would probably have burst into tears, but I was fine. I had been hearing those things all my life. Harry didn't take it too well though as I knew he wouldn't.

"SHUT-UP!" Harry yelled, "You guys _don't _even know her! You're just judging her based on her family! She's different! I wouldn't be dating her if she wasn't! Sirius, you of all people I thought would understand that you can't judge a person by their family."

Sirius looked exceptionally guilty.

"I trust her, and if I'm able to trust her, you should definitely be able to." Harry said squeezing my hand.

It was silence for a moment as everyone looked at us until Remus finally said something. "What is she doing here though?" He asked.

Harry turned to me realizing he didn't know the answer to that question, and I sighed before answering. "My Dad told Draco and me we were starting Death Eater training tonight." I said. I caught Harry's gaze and kept it before continuing. "I don't want to be a Death Eater."

"And your father is not very happy about that." A familiar voice said and Snape walked in followed by Professor Dumbledore. "Neither was the Dark Lord."

I clenched Harry's hand tighter.

"It is definitely not safe for you to leave this house Ms. Malfoy." Professor Dumbledore said. "Voldemort has sent his spies to search for you. Thankfully, you and Mr. Potter seemed to have kept your romance a very good secret. No one suspects that you came to us."

"Draco told your Father you ran off while he was sleeping."

My eyes widened, "he did?"

Snape nodded, "was he not?"

"Well I thought he was, but I guess he wasn't." I covered up quickly knowing Snape was a Spy and I wasn't going to tell him anything. Thankfully they let it go.

"Like I said you have to stay here. You will be protected here and from this moment forward you are officially under the Order's Protection." Professor Dumbledore said looking around at everyone who was surrounding me. "Now, if you all will excuse me, I have some work to do at the office."

Without another word, Professor Dumbledore just turned and walked down the door, Professor Snape following behind.

Everyone just stood in silence for a moment staring at Harry and I before the Order people decided to go get dinner ready and Ron and Hermione stomped up the stairs still looking angry. I sighed after them. "Is there anything I can do to show them I'm not like Draco?" I asked Harry when we were finally alone.

Harry shook his head still angry. "They'll get over it eventually." He took my other hand in his and started pulling me down the hall. "Come on, let's go upstairs and you can tell me what's really going on."

"What makes you think I didn't really tell you what was going on?" I asked him.

He looked back at me for a moment and shook his head before pulling me into a bedroom. He pulled me over to the bed and gently pushed me into a sitting position before bending down in front of me and taking my hands in his. "Now tell me what happened."

The position we were in now reminded me of one similar last year.

_I was sitting outside at the lake. It was nearing midnight, and I would most likely get in trouble when I finally wandered back into the castle, but I didn't really care. Why did my life always have to be so complicated? Why did I have to start liking the one person that my family would disown me for? Why did he have to care about me? Couldn't he have just dismissed me as the slimy git's sister like his other friends? _

_ "Emily?" A familiar voice said. _

_ "Go away Harry," I said cruelly burying my face in my knees._

_ I heard the swish of fabric as Harry took his invisibility cloak off and sat down beside me, "no." _

_ I groaned, "Why do you have to make this so hard on me?" I asked. _

_ "Because I don't want you to make the wrong decision," he answered._

_ "Do you realize there is no right decision here?" I lifted my head to stare into those green eyes I had gotten lost in so many times. "Either I ignore my feelings and spend the rest of my life wondering what could have been married to some Death Eater-" I ignored Harry's angry look, "-or I get murdered for dating Harry freaking Potter. It's a lose-lose situation." _

_ "Those are not the only options." Harry said placing both hands on the sides of my face so I had to look him in the eyes. _

_ I laughed without humor. "Of course Potter, you have the answer to everything right? So tell me this option I missed that doesn't end in me being miserable."_

_ "I really wish you wouldn't call me that." He wiped away my tears with his thumb. "It reminds me of your brother."_

_ I grimaced at him._

_ "We don't have to tell anyone." He finally said. "This-" He brushed my cheek again. "Can be just between us. No one has to know we're dating, and if no one knows your family won't find out." _

_ I stared at him for a few minutes thinking it over. "You think you can keep a secret from Ron and Hermione?" I asked._

_ He nodded, "for you."_

_ I smiled at him and placed my hands on top of his before bringing them away from my face to entwine our fingers. "We seriously have to be careful Harry, if anyone sees us just once-"_

_ "All right, all right," he let go of my hands and grabbed his invisibility cloak before throwing it over both of us. _

_ "What are you doing?" I asked laughing as he squeezed closer to me._

_ I saw Harry look at my lips, "well, I'm about to kiss you." He looked back to my eyes, "and you said we couldn't be seen."_

_ I smirked at him, "you know the polite thing for a boy to do is ask if he can kiss a girl before he does."_

_ He smirked back leaning forward, "I guess it's a good thing I don't feel like being polite tonight." _

I couldn't help but smile at the memory.

"Em?" his voice brought me back to reality. "What happened?"

"Can we talk about it tomorrow?" I asked him. "I am completely worn out. I ran must have run at least five miles Potter! Could you have not made the Headquarters a little closer?" I asked collapsing on the bed I was currently sitting on.

Harry shoved me over playfully to climb in beside me. "I don't think they wanted to set the Headquarters of an Anti-Voldemort organization next to a known Death Eaters house." He said. "I'm glad you made it here all right though."

I curled up against Harry's chest and he wrapped an arm around me, "me too," I said. After spending my whole life with my path chosen for me, it felt good to stray to a different one. Even if that path was leading me into more danger than I could ever know, laying here looking into Harry's eyes made me feel like maybe it was all worth it.


	2. Critical

The next morning I woke up to the reverberation of loud snoring. I panicked for a moment when I opened my eyes and didn't identify where I was, but realized just as quickly what had happened last night, but I seemed to recall falling asleep in Harry's arms… Where was he now?

I sat up and looked around for the foundation of the snoring finding a mess of vibrant red hair that I could only assume was Ron's. _I'm astonished he slept in the same room as a Slytherin _I thought to myself as I climbed out of the bed and ventured my way down the stairs quietly following the voices I heard. Finally I reached the door which all the conversation seemed to be originating from. I took a deep breath and opened the door.

All conversation ceased the moment I walked into the room and everyone turned to stare at me. Finally, Mrs. Weasley walked over to me, "would you like some breakfast dear?"

I nodded and she led me into a chair beside Sirius before piling food on my plate. "Where's Harry?" I asked looking around, Mrs. Weasley, Sirius, Lupin, and Tonks were the only ones in the area.

"Did he not enlighten you?" Sirius asked me. "He has a hearing at the Ministry of Magic this morning for potential expulsion."

I promptly spewed out my pumpkin juice. "WHAT? What on _earth _did he do?"

"Underage magic," Lupin answered me. 

"What did he use underage magic for?" I asked him.

"Dementors attacked him and his cousin this summer. So you two really are dating?" Sirius asked.

"Yes, and I'm not really concerned with what you think about it." I told him stabbing my sausage with particular force.

"I wouldn't expect you to, one of the many qualities of a Slytherin. They don't tend to care what other people think about them." Sirius said.

"That isn't an awful thing," I replied.

"I didn't say it was." He replied.

We sat silently all the way through breakfast until Ron, Hermione and the rest of the Weasley children came downstairs glaring at me. Honestly, had they listened to a word Harry said last night? I wasn't like my thick headed brother! We were two totally different people! They sat down at the table and when the only unfilled seat was next to me Ginny grimaced and pushed her seat as far away as possible. I scowled and stood up deciding to go exploring instead of sitting here being glared at. After drifting around for who knows how long, I ended up in what seemed to be a drawing Room. My eyes were drawn to a desk and I opened one of the compartments and found what appeared to be a locket with an "S" engraved into it in the shape of a snake. That was definitely the mark of Slytherin. All of a sudden something started emerging from the compartment and I backed away as it formed the shape of Harry. "You don't belong here." He said, "You should just go back to your Death Eater family and your brother. I don't know what I ever saw in you." I backed away until I hit the wall. "You're just another Slytherin low-life."

"No, no, you're not real," I slid down the wall powerless to take my eyes away from Harry's figure.

Suddenly there was a flash of green light and Harry fell down dead. "No!" I scrambled over to the body, but before I could reach it another shape started forming and Harry vanished.

"I told you he was going to die." My father said, "He never really cared about you in the first place you know. He only wanted you to tell him information. It didn't help him in the end and now he's left you."

I cowered behind my hands letting a sob escape my throat.

"He never cherished you, and now he's never coming back. You're going to spend the rest of your life a lonely, pathetic-"

"_Riddikulus!_"

"Emily!"Arms wrapped around me and the voice of my Father stopped speaking. "Emily, I'm right here! I'm okay!"

I continued to sob. "I'm alone, I'm alone," I kept muttering to myself.

"No you're not!" Harry said trying to pull me into his arms.

I ignored him. "I'm alone; I'll always be alone, always, always. Everyone hates me, everyone always hates me." I knew how hysterical I must sound, but I couldn't stop the words from leaving my throat.

"Look at me, you're not alone! I don't hate you, and I'm not going to leave you!"

At those words I looked up into his emerald green eyes and hiccupped slightly. "Harry?"

He nodded and carefully took my hands gauging my reaction before pulling me into his arms. I curled up tight against his chest as his fingers ran gently through my hair. "Shhh…" He whispered in my ear.

"Harry, you said you hated me… You said I was just-just another Slytherin low-life." I managed to say through my tears. "A-and then you were… dead." I croaked out. I moved my face from his neck to look at him. "You can't leave me Harry, you can't. I-I don't have anyone else."

"Hey," Harry brushed my tears away. "I'm not leaving you."

I nodded and returned to his chest letting out fifteen years of unshed tears.

"So why didn't you tell me about the Dementors?" I said.

It must have been late because everyone else had all ready went to bed and we were sitting in front of the fireplace eating some chocolate frogs. "I was a bit too worried about you last night to talk about my problems." He took a bite of the frog, "Besides it doesn't matter anyway, I got off fine."

"Do you have any idea who sent them after you?" I asked.

"Nope, do you?"

I shook my head, "I haven't heard anything about it."

We sat in silence for a moment. "Your Dad was at the Ministry today."

I stretched my arms out, "yeah, he's been doing a lot of that lately. He's pretty much bribing Fudge as far as I can tell." I leaned my head against his shoulder. "When we get back to school I'm considering asking Dumbledore to help get me legally emancipated."

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Harry asked.

I nodded and slipped my arm through his to entwine our fingers. "I don't want to be a Malfoy anymore. I feel like as long as I'm a Malfoy they can still control me, and I don't want them to be able to control me anymore."

He squeezed my hand. "Are you going to change your last name then?"

I nodded. "I just wish I could change my house. It's going to be hell when I get back there."

"Oh, speaking of that," Harry reached into his pocket and handed me a letter. "This came for you with the post today."

It was a letter addressed from Hogwarts. I opened it up and as I unfolded the letter a badge came out of it saying "Prefect". "Great," I said sarcastically.

"I figured you would get that." Harry grinned at me. "You're the only Slytherin I know with any sense."

I rolled my eyes, "well I suppose you got one as well?"

He shook his head, "Ron and Hermione did."

I raised my eyebrows, "really? That's rather unexpected well about Ron anyway, no offense of course."

"None taken, I don't think Ron expected it either. Mrs. Weasley has all ready picked up your books and everything. They're in your trunk."

"That was nice of her," I said as we continued to stare into the fire. "She really seems nice."

"She is," Harry replied.

Once again we sat in a comfortable silence as the fire crackled down to its last embers. "You know what I just realized Potter?" I said sitting up on my knees so I could face him.

"What?" He said with a smile placing his hands on either side of my waist.

"It has been twenty four hours and you have yet to give me a kiss." I reached up to run my fingers through his soft hair.

"I'm sorry; I'll have to rectify that immediately." Harry said leaning forward to barely brush his lips against mine before pulling away.

I sighed and playfully glared at him. "That was definitely not your best work." I smiled at him and closed my eyes pressing my lips against his eagerly.

AN: So I know the timing in this chapter maybe a little weird because I basically squeezed a whole chapter of HP 5 into one day, but I hope it fits together all right. Thanks for reading! Next chapter it's off to Hogwarts!


	3. We Are Broken

Over the next few weeks living at Grimmauld Place became slightly more bearable. At least with the adults, Sirius especially, we had grown closer talking about the weird members of the family, and we even ceremoniously burned my name off the Black Family Tree. It was surprisingly weight-lifting to slowly watch my name burn away from the people I couldn't bear to live with anymore. All too soon though September first arrived and it was time to go back to Hogwarts. I woke up bright and early pulling my hair into a loose bun, and changed into a black loose-fitting skirt with purple and pink circles on it that hit me a few inches above the knee, and a dark pink v-neck tank top with spaghetti straps. It was way too hot outside to wear my school uniform to the Platform. I quickly slipped on some purple pumps, (yes Malfoy women learn how to walk everywhere in heels) and quietly made sure all of my things were packed into my trunk before heading downstairs for some breakfast.

"Good morning Emily, breakfast will be ready in a jiff." Mrs. Weasley said as soon as I stepped into the dining room.

"Do you need any help with anything?" I asked her.

"Thank you dear, but I think I have everything under control, have you checked to make sure everything's in your trunk?"

I nodded as the door opened and a very disheveled looking Harry walked in. I laughed openly as his hair stuck out more than usual; something that I didn't think was possible. "What?" He asked as he looked from my laughing to Mrs. Weasley trying to hide her giggles.

Before I could respond though, Sirius walked in and took one look at Harry before doing a double-take. "Whoa Harry! I think you need to tame that beast you call hair. It looks almost as wild as your Dad's did when he woke-up."

Harry mumbled something under his breath before trying unsuccessfully to flatten his hair with his hand.

Still laughing, I managed to ask Sirius if I could see his comb he kept with him at all times, and pulled Harry into a chair away from the table before trying to tame at least a little of his hair. "Gosh Harry did you toss and turn all night last night?" I asked trying to get a particularly stubborn knot out without hurting him.

He didn't answer my question, just winced.

When we finally managed to get to the train station, I had to go to the Prefects carriage with Ron and Hermione not surprised to find my brother sitting there with a Prefect badge pinned on his chest. "Emily!" He immediately grabbed my arm and pulled me into the seat beside him. "Where the bloody hellhave you been?"  
I quickly wrenched my arm out of his grip. "That's none of your business Draco." I told him.

"The _hell _it isn't! I'm your brother!"

I glared at him. "Really? Because the brother I know wouldn't do something he didn't want to do just to make his father, who isn't that great of a father in the first place, happy."

He glared right back though I knew he was hurt. "It's not that simply Em and you know it."

"Yes it is Draco! I'm here! I'm fine aren't I? It is that simple!"

Suddenly someone cleared their throat loudly and I turned my attention to the Head Boy and Girl who were glaring at us. I glared right back but turned to face them as they gave out assignments.

As soon as the meeting was over I hurried out of the compartment practically running as I searched through the other doors trying to find Harry ignoring Pansy when she waved. Finally towards the end of the train I found him sitting Ginny, Neville Longbottom, and Luna Lovegood. They were quite an odd group to be sure. Harry smiled when I walked in and patted the seat next to him beside the window. I smiled back at him and joined him ignoring Ginny's intense glare of dislike as Harry wrapped an arm around my shoulder and I rested my head against his. "How did the meeting go?" Harry asked as I sighed.

"Guess who the other Slytherin prefect is?" I asked.

He thought about it for a moment before pulling me closer. "That sucks," He said.

I laughed without humor, "life tends to do that to me, make everything suck."

The door to the compartment opened and Ron and Hermione sat down next to Harry. "I'm starving," said Ron, stowing Pigwidgeon next to Hedwig, grabbing a Chocolate Frog from Harry.

"Well, there are two fifth-year prefects from each House," said Hermione, looking thoroughly disgusted. "Boy and girl from each."

"And guess who's a Slytherin prefect?" said Ron, still with his eyes closed.

"Malfoy," replied Harry at once.

"I just told him," I said not looking at them.

There was silence for a moment until Harry finally decided to change the subject.

"You're Emily Malfoy," Luna said suddenly peering at me from behind her upside down magazine.

I gave her a weird look. "I'm aware."

"You're in a compartment with a bunch of Gryffindors and a Ravenclaw."

I took my head off Harry's shoulder to stare at her. "I'm aware of that to, and I don't care what anyone says about that either. I want to sit with my boyfriend and his friends and no one's going to stop me from doing that."

I settled back against Harry's shoulder as Luna continued to give me a dreamy eyed look and Harry kissed the top of my head. After continuing to look at me for a moment she then turned her eyes to Hermione and Ron. "And you're Hermione Granger, and you're Ron Weasley. You took Padma Patil to the Ball."

"Yeah, I know I did," he said, looking mildly surprised.

"She didn't enjoy it very much," Luna informed him. "She doesn't think you treated her very well, because you wouldn't dance with her. I don't think I'd have minded," she added thoughtfully, "I don't like dancing very much."

She retreated behind _The Quibbler _again. Ron stared at the cover with his mouth hanging open for a few seconds, and then looked around at Ginny for some kind of explanation, but Ginny had stuffed her knuckles in her mouth to stop herself giggling. Ron shook his head, bemused, and then checked his watch.

"We're supposed to patrol the corridors every so often," he told Harry and Neville, "and we can give out punishments if people are misbehaving. I can't wait to get Crabbe and Goyle for something. . ."

"You're not supposed to abuse your position, Ron!" said Hermione sharply.

"Yeah, right, because Malfoy won't abuse it at all," said Ron sarcastically.

I really wished they would stop talking about him. I didn't want to think about my brother. Harry seemed to notice as I tensed and changed the subject. They continued talking for a while as I leaned my head against the window my hair covering my face as tears rolled down my cheek. I really did miss my brother. I know I made the right decision when I ran away, but I really wish he would have come with me. He's really not a bad guy. . . Well to me anyway.

Luna had just finished taking her magazine back from Harry when Hermione insulted her Dad when the door opened for a third time. I immediately felt Harry grip my hand tight and realized who it must be. "What?" Harry said aggressively, before Draco could open his mouth.

"Manners Potter, or I'll have to give you a detention," drawled Draco. "You see, I, unlike you, have been made a prefect, which means that I, unlike you, have the power to hand out punishments."

"Yeah," said Harry, "but you, unlike me, are a git, so get out and leave us alone."

Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Neville laughed, and I squeezed Harry's hand warning him.

"Tell me, how does it feel being second-best to Weasley, Potter?" he asked.

Okay that was definitely out of line even for Draco. I wonder if he was like this all the time when I wasn't with him. Hermione seemed to be thinking alone the same lines as me. "Shut up, Malfoy," said Hermione sharply.

I had to admire that in the Gryffindor, she was not afraid to stand up for herself.

"I seem to have touched a nerve," said Malfoy, smirking. "Well, just watch yourself, Potter, because I'll be _dogging _your footsteps in case you step out of line."

"Get out!" said Hermione, standing up.

"I'm not afraid of you Mudblood!"

Okay that was definitely enough I sat up quickly and pointed my wand at my brother. "There is no need to call her that Draco, get out."

Draco's eyes widened as he recognized me and he seemed too shocked to move. "Here! These are the people you went to! The Mudblood, the Blood Traitor and-" He looked down and caught sight of Harry and mine's joined hands. His glare became icy as he turned his gaze to Harry. "My Sister Potter! What did you do to her? I swear I'm going to-"

I flicked my wand at him and he blasted backwards against the edge of the train and I shut the door of the compartment with another flick. Draco's eyes met mine on the ground and I had never seen him look so upset. I broke our gaze and turned back to the window once again covering my face with my hair.

I felt Harry scoot closer to me and he started rubbing soothing circles on my hand.

"We'd all better change into our robes." Hermione said quietly some time later as we neared Hogsmeade.

When the train finally stopped I climbed out with Harry our hands linked ignoring all the staring as Harry's arm wrapped around my waist. "Where's Hagrid?" Harry asked and who I was happy to see was ignoring the looks we were getting as well.

"I don't know," said Ginny, "but we'd better get out of the way, we're blocking the door."

"Oh yeah. . ."

We got separated as we moved along the platform and when we finally made it to the carriages we decided to wait on Ron and Hermione, Harry finally pulled me aside. "You want to talk?"

That was something I loved about Harry. He didn't ask, "Are you all right?" like a normal guy would. He knew I wasn't all right and he wasn't going to force me to talk about it. I smiled at him and reached up to brush my thumb across his cheek. "Not tonight, maybe later but right now I'm just exhausted. Speaking of exhausted, have you been having nightmares again?"

He nodded, "that same one about the corridor. It's driving me insane."

I smiled at him, "you'll figure it out. I have faith in you."

Just then a group of Slytherin girls in my year walked by and shoved me so hard I would have fallen if Harry hadn't been there, and walked away laughing. Harry helped me stand up glaring at the girls. "You can sit with us at the Feast you know. I won't let anyone be mean to you."

"I'm fine," I said. "I'm not going to the Feast anyway. There's something I've got to do."

Harry gave me a confused look and opened his mouth to, I'm sure, ask me what I had to do, but Ron and Hermione came up then.

"Malfoy was being absolutely foul to a first year back there, I swear I'm going to report him, he's only had his badge three minutes and he's using it to bully people worse than ever. . . Come on; let's get a carriage together before they all fill up. . ." Hermione said heading to the nearest unoccupied coach. I started to follow her, but Harry stayed behind with Ron.

"What _are _those things, d'you reckon?" he asked Ron, nodding at the carriages.

"What things?"  
"Those horse things."

"What horse things?" I asked Harry.

"The horse things pulling the carriages!" said Harry impatiently.

I gave Harry a worried look. The carriages always pulled themselves…

"What are you talking about?" Ron said.

"I'm talking about – look!" Harry grabbed Ron's arm and wheeled him about so that he was facing the front of the carriage. Ron looked around for whatever Harry was talking about and then looked right back at Harry.

"What am I supposed to be looking at?"

"At the – there, between the shafts! Harnessed to the coach! It's right there in front – Can't . . . can't you see them?"

"See _what?" _

"Can't you see what's pulling the carriages?" Harry asked looking at Ron and me.

"Are you feeling all right, Harry?" Ron asked looking concerned.

"I . . . yeah . . ."

"Shall we get in, then?" said Ron uncertainly.

"Yeah," said Harry. "Yeah, go on . . ."

"It's all right," said a dreamy voice from beside Harry as Ron vanished into the coach's dark interior. "You're not going mad or anything. I can see them too."

"Can you?" said Harry desperately, turning to Luna.

"Oh yes," said Luna, "I've been able to see them ever since my first day here. They've always pulled the carriages. Don't worry. You're just as sane as I am."

Smiling faintly, she climbed into the musty interior of the carriage after Ron.

Well that was definitely not reassuring.

A/N: Thank you all for your reviews I really appreciate them, but I need at least one review per chapter to update so please if you can spend some time it only takes five seconds to review. Please?

P.S. Can anybody else NOT WAIT for HP7 Part 1? I have been reading reviews and it sounds amazing. I have NEVER been more excited for a movie in my life.


	4. You're My Favorite Song

I didn't really pay attention to the conversation in the carriage on the way to Hogwarts. They were talking about something to do with Hagrid while I was thinking about what I was going to do when I got to Hogwarts. I figured no one would notice my absence except Draco and Professor Snape, but I had to go to the kitchens, and I was pretty sure that Draco could handle escorting the new Slytherins to the common room. I would probably get an earful from Snape tomorrow, but I honestly didn't care.

As soon as we left the carriages, I pulled Harry aside and gave him a kiss. "I'll see you sometime tomorrow depending on what the schedule is."

"No, you're having breakfast with us tomorrow." Harry said matter-of-factly.

I raised my eyebrows at him, "says who?"

"Me," he said. "You're eating breakfast at the Gryffindor table tomorrow."

I smirked at him, "anybody ever tell you you're a needy boyfriend Potter?" I teased.

He just rolled his eyes. "I'll see you tomorrow morning," and with a kiss on the cheek he went to go join Ron and Hermione.

As soon as he was out of sight I followed my normal path to the kitchens making sure to be quiet and stay as hidden as I could. I didn't know the policy on not going to the start-of-term feast, but I didn't want to find out. Finally I reached the portrait of the pear and tickled it until it turned into a door knob. When I walked in, the kitchen was filled with house elves running around like maniacs piling food everywhere they could.

"Excuse me, can I help you Miss?"

I looked at the little house elf at my feet and bent down to his level. "Yes you may, is Dobby here somewhere? I need to speak with him." I asked him.

The elf nodded and ran away quickly; it wasn't more than one minute before Dobby came over to meet me. As soon as he saw me though, his gaze turned frightened. "Ms. Malfoy wh-what is Miss doing here?"

I held my hands up in front of me, the universal symbol of peace, "its okay Dobby, I promise I'm not going to hurt you. I just wanted to talk for a moment. Do you have time?"

Dobby looked at me, still fearfully, and nodded. He led me to a far wall close to the entrance and I sat down. "What did Miss want to speak with Dobby about?"

I took a deep breath and did something I don't do very often. "I wanted to apologize to you Dobby for the way myself and my family treated you."

Dobby's eyes widened so much they looked like they were about to pop out of his head.

"We were cruel to you even though you did everything we asked you to, and you didn't deserve it. No one does." I said.

Dobby was unable to speak for a few moments. "Is Miss being honest with Dobby?"

I nodded giving him a little smile.

Dobby grinned back at me. "Dobby has heard that Miss Malfoy is friends with Harry Potter now. Is he the reason Miss apologized?"

I shook my head, "he's not the reason, but he's definitely inspiring me to make a few changes."

Dobby grinned even wider. "Apology accepted Miss, would Miss Malfoy like something to eat?"

I nodded, "as long as it's not too much trouble."

"No trouble at all Miss." Dobby then hurried off and came back seconds later with a large plate of food.

"Why don't you eat with me Dobby? I don't really want to go to the feast and you can tell me what you've been up to since you were free."

"Dobby would love to, but Dobby has to get back to working. If there is anything Dobby can do for Miss please let Dobby know. Whoever is a friend of Harry Potter is a friend of Dobby."

I smiled, "thank you Dobby," I stood up with the plate of food and started walking away, "but unless you can find me another place to sleep besides the Slytherin dorm-"

Dobby's eyes widened again and he started smiling, "but Dobby knows the perfect place Miss!"

I raised my eyebrows at him, "seriously?"

Dobby nodded frantically, "If Miss will come back when the feast is over Dobby will take you there!"

I grinned widely almost unable to believe I might not have to spend my year getting tortured by other Slytherin girls. "All right Dobby, I'll be back as soon as the Feast is over."  
Dobby nodded and hurried off to the kitchens to help with the feast and I left the kitchen practically running to the Slytherin dorms where located glad for the moment I was a prefect because I had the password. "Pureblood," I said out of breath and as soon as the portrait hole opened. I ran up to where the fifth year girl's dorms were and found my trunk. I pulled out my wand and did a quick shrinking spell on the trunk before putting it in my pocket. I walked back down slowly looking around the Common Room feeling odd because I could honestly say that I wasn't upset that I would not be staying in there anymore. I ran a hand through my blond hair and sighed. I never really knew what home felt like before, but now my head was clear and I realized that whatever home was, this wasn't it.

Once I finished the food Dobby had given me and was pretty sure the feast was over I made my way back to the kitchens where Dobby was waiting outside the painting for me. "Professor Dumbledore is about to send the students to bed Miss, we must hurry." He quickly grabbed some of my robes and pulled me along up the stairs.

We climbed up seven flights of stairs until we reached the seventh floor across from the tapestry of Barnabas and Barmy. "Um, Dobby? There's no door here."

Dobby pulled me to face the wall opposite of the tapestry. "Miss Malfoy must walk past this part of the wall three times concentrating hard on what you need."

"Okay. . ." I took a deep breath and started waking. _I need a place where I can stay where I can be safe. I need a place where I can stay where I can be safe. I need a place where I can stay where I can be safe. _Suddenly a door appeared in front of me. I glanced at Dobby who nodded his head encouragingly before opening the door.

My mouth must've dropped to the floor. The room was much homier than the Slytherin Common Room. It was divided into two sections; the first side off to the left had a huge fireplace and was surrounded with a huge couch and two arm chairs with a coffee table and rug. The other side of the room had a huge emerald green bed and three long bookshelves that covered the whole wall. "Wow, Dobby this is amazing! What room is this?"

"It is known by us as the Come and Go Room, miss, or else as the Room of Requirement because it is a room that a person can only enter when they have a real need of it."

"So anybody can get in here that needs it?"

"Not if the person in the room doesn't want them to." Dobby replied. "Now if Misses is all right, Dobby must help the other house elves clean up the Great Hall."

"Thank you Dobby I really appreciate it." I told him with a smile.

Dobby smiled and with a pop disappeared out of the room.

I pulled my trunk out of my pocket and brought it back to its normal size before switching out of my robes and into my pajamas before climbing into the amazingly soft bed and falling right to sleep.

**A/N: So this chapter is short, but the next chapter will probably be my longest. Please, please, please review! It will motivate me to write better chapters. **

**Special Shout outs to: Carma09 for reviewing every chapter**

**& the Anonymous Reviewer from the Last Chapter, to answer your question they will start to next chapter. **


	5. What Part of Forever

I could honestly say when I woke up the next morning last night was the best night of sleep I had ever had, and even though when I woke up I remembered there wasn't a bathroom in the room last night, there was suddenly one there. It was small, but I didn't really need a big bathroom for one person. I showered in the wonderfully hot water before changing into my robes, and realizing I had woken up much earlier than usual, I even took the time to fix the bottom of my hair into big curls.

For my usual depressing mood, I had to admit, this morning as I practically skipped into the Great Hall for breakfast sighing when I realized I was so early hardly anyone was up, I was exceptionally happy. I sat down at the end of the Slytherin table and piled some bacon and eggs on my plate before digging in. About halfway through my meal, when people were finally starting to come for breakfast, Professor Snape came by and handed me my timetable. I reached for it, but he pulled it out of my grip. "Miss Malfoy, would you care to explain to me why your brother came running into my office last night telling me you never came to the Feast or your dormitory?"

"Honestly, I'd rather not," I replied innocently.

He smirked at me, "well then by all means why don't you go have a little chat with Professor Dumbledore? He seems to be free at the moment."

That obviously wasn't a request. I sighed and grabbed my timetable from Snape before making my way to the head table. "Ah, Miss Malfoy, do what do I owe the pleasure?" Professor Dumbledore said when I reached him.

"Professor Snape wanted me to inform you that I did not attend the feast last night or sleep in my dormitory." I said resisting the urge to roll my eyes.

Professor Dumbledore nodded a twinkle in his eyes. "I am aware, what I am not aware of however is why?"

"Well to be perfectly honest with you Professor, I've all ready almost got knocked into the mud because I was seen with Harry by some girls in my dorm. I don't even want to think what would happen if we would stay in the same room."

Professor Dumbledore continued to stare at me over his half moon spectacles, his fingertips pressed together. "I suppose I do see why you would be worried, and I have to admit, your involvement with Mr. Potter does not make you acceptable with most of your housemates." I waited in silence as he continued to think. "Well as long as you have a room and you're not in anyone's way, I don't see a problem with it. You still must perform your duties as prefect of the Slytherin house though."

I nodded trying really hard not to burst out in a grin. Yes! I didn't have to stay with people who hated me! "I will, thank you Professor, I really appreciate it."

He just smiled at me before turning back to his food. I practically skipped over to the Gryffindor table where I noticed Harry, Ron and Hermione sitting. "Good morning Gryffindors." I said sliding in beside Harry. "Lovely morning, isn't it?"

Thunder cackled from the ceiling and I looked up just now noticing the dark clouds. "Hmmm. . . Maybe not." I turned to look at the Gryffindors Hermione giving me a weird look, Ron staring at me with his mouth slightly open and Harry stabbing his food rather viciously.

"What's got you in such a good mood?" He asked and I cringed at the sound of his fork hitting his plate.

I took the fork from his hand forcing him to look at me. "I think I should be asking you that question."

Harry just took his fork back and didn't respond.

"Harry's upset because some Gryffindors don't believe him about You-Know-Who."

I stared at Hermione in surprise. I believe that was the first time she had ever spoken to me directly. "Well, that's their loss isn't it? They'll know for sure soon."

"They think I'm a nutter Em." Harry said.

Once again I seemed to scare the Gryffindors as I burst into laughter. "You are a nutter! You're dating a Slytherin for Merlin's sake!"

At this I was happy to see they all smiled.

We sat in silence again, but I could tell Harry's mood was much better than before as he didn't repeatedly stab his food. Finally though Professor McGonagall came by and handed them their schedules. "So it looks like we'll be seeing you this morning." Harry said looking it over, "Double Potions."

"Yeah not to mention History of Magic, Divination, and double Defense Against the Dark Arts. . . Binns, Snape, Trelawney, and the Umbridge woman all in one day! I wish Fred and George'd hurry up and get those Skiving Snackboxes sorted. . ." Ron groaned.

"Do my ears deceive me?" said Fred, arriving with George and squeezing onto the bench on Harry's other side. "Hogwarts prefects surely don't wish to skive off lessons?"

"Look what we've got today," said Ron grumpily, shoving his schedule under Fred's nose. "That's the worst Monday I've ever seen."

"Fair point, little bro," said Fred, scanning the column. "You can have a bit of Nosebleed Nougat cheap if you like."

"What's a Nosebleed Nougat?" I interrupted.

Fred and George turned to me with matching grins. "Ah, if it isn't our little Slytherin rebel, a Nosebleed Nougat gives you a nosebleed." George told me.

"Why's it cheap?" said Ron suspiciously.

"Because you'll keep bleeding till you shrivel up, we haven't got an antidote yet," said George, helping himself to a kipper.

I didn't really pay attention to the rest of the conversation about O.W.L.s. They were honestly one of the last things on my mind. I was more concerned about the fact that my brother was glaring at me from the next table over like I had just committed treason, which technically, in the Malfoy world, I did. I sighed and turned back to the Gryffindors to find them halfway across the hall. "Coming?" Harry asked holding out his hand to me.

I nodded, taking his hand as he walked me to class. We were just outside the classroom when I pulled him into a slightly hidden corner, "what are you-"

I put my hand on the back of his head, pulling him down for a kiss. He was surprised at first but quickly recovered wrapping his arms around me to pull me closer. "What was that for?" He asked, I must say, grinning like an idiot, when I pulled away still staying in his arms.

I shrugged still twisting my fingers in the hair on the back of his head. "You looked like you needed it." I said simply.

He bent down to kiss me again when the warning bell rang. He groaned and pulled away. "I've got to get to History of Magic."

"Oh, yeah have fun with that one." I grinned giving him a quick peck before removing his arms around me.

I swear my attention span must be getting shorter and shorter because as soon as Professor Flitwick said the word O.W.L.s I blocked his voice out. I mean really? Was that all anyone cared about? I know they were supposed to help determine your jobs when you graduated, but right now I was concerned with surviving Hogwarts to graduate. I practically ran out of the room when Charms was over towards the direction of History of Magic where Harry would be getting out. I found him, Ron and Hermione in a secluded corner in the courtyard under a heavily dripping balcony and Harry was talking to Cho Chang. . . That was a little odd.

"Oh, it was all right, you know. . ." She was saying when I reached them. I practically ran to Harry wrapping my arms tightly around him and burying my face in his chest.

He stumbled backwards a little at the force of my hug but wrapped his arms me, "Hi, nice to see you too?"

"You're warm," I mumbled into his chest gripping him tighter.

I felt Harry chuckling as he adjusted his arms more comfortably around me.

"Well, I have to get to class. It was nice seeing you Harry." Cho said sounding uncomfortable.

"Yeah see you Cho." Harry replied as best he could while I was squeezing him.

Once I was sure she was gone I pulled away grinning, "Okay I'm warm now." As soon as I said that the bell rang for us to go to our next class. Harry slipped his hand into mine entwining our fingers as we made our way to the dungeons, Hermione and Ron arguing about something in the background.

"How much work d'you think Snape will give us?" Harry asked me as we neared the dungeons.

"Probably enough to make up for summer vacation." I told him as we entered Snape's classroom.

"Emily?" A voice said from behind us and I turned around to face Hermione. "Do you want to sit with me?" She asked in a small voice.

I stared at her in complete shock until Harry squeezed my fingers, "Uh, yeah, sure."

Harry let go of my hand as I slid in beside her in front of Harry and Ron.

"Sit down," said Snape coldly, shutting the door behind him.

I rolled my eyes at the usual overly dramatic entrance. If I didn't know any better I would have thought he had eyes in the back of his head because as soon as I did that he turned around to stare at me. "Miss Malfoy, why are you not sitting in your normal seat?"

I raised my eyebrows at him, "I wasn't aware there were assigned seats Professor."

"For you there is, go sit in your normal seat." As I picked up my bag angrily I noticed Harry open his mouth in protest, but I just shook my head discreetly at him. I slid into my seat beside Draco with my arms crossed. I saw Hermione give me a sad smile from across the room which I returned ignoring Snape as he moaned about O.W.L.s. Finally, Snape put the directions of the potion we were supposed to be making, the Draught of Peace, on the board, and I went to go get all the ingredients I needed.

"I can't believe you." Draco whispered in my ear.

I didn't respond.

"I don't even know what to say to you." He continued.

"Then don't say anything." I replied.

"How long have you been dating him?" Draco asked.

I sighed, "Since the night after the Yule Ball."

Draco's eyes widened as I started the potion. "You've been dating that git for nine months and you didn't tell me?"

I turned my icy glare that was so like our Mother's on him. "I wonder why?"

We worked in silence for a few moments on our potions until Draco opened his mouth again. "Are you going to tell Mum and Dad?"

"What do you think?" I said picking up my bottle of hellebore.

He grabbed my arm. "There is no need to act all high and mighty to me Emily I know you're not. Those Gryffindors have been rubbing off on you. I can't believe you almost sat with a Mudblood!"

I wrenched my arm out of his grip. "You know Draco, if they're rubbing off on me, that's a good thing, because I'm tired of acting like I'm better than everyone else, I'm not, and neither are you. Stop calling Hermione a Mudblood, I've been hanging out with them since summer and she has not spoken one bad word to me."

"Em? Are you okay?"

I turned around finding Harry's concerned face and smiled at him. "I'm fine Harry."

"It's none of your business anyway Potter, go away." Draco sneered from over my shoulder.

Harry opened his mouth to retort something angrily, but I put my hands on his chest and gently shoved him back to his table. "Seriously Harry, I'll deal with it."

Harry nodded, but continued to glare at my brother who was looking smug.

I turned back to him once again turning on my icy glare. "Seriously Draco, shove off. Harry hasn't done anything to you."

"Yes he has!"

I raised my eyebrows, "like what?"

"He's dating my sister!"

I took a deep breath and let out all my anger. "I know you don't want to hear this, but Harry's a good guy. He takes good care of me. I care a lot about him and he cares a lot about me, and if you can't accept that then screw off and don't talk to me ever again."

"Potter, what is this supposed to be?"

All the other Slytherin's in the classroom looked up eagerly, it was their favorite pastime to watch Snape taunt Harry.

"The Draught of Peace," said Harry tensely.

"Tell me, Potter," said Snape softly, "can you read?"

My hands turned into fists as Draco laughed.

"Yes, I can," said Harry, his fingers clenched tightly around his wand.

"Read the third line of the instructions for me, Potter."

Oh, no he forgot the drops of hellebore. He realized the same thing after he read the line out loud. "Did you do everything on the third line, Potter?" Snape asked him.

"No," said Harry very quietly.

"I beg your pardon?"

"No," said Harry, more loudly. "I forgot the hellebore. . ."

"I know you did, Potter, which means that this mess is utterly worthless. _Evanesco."_

The contents of Harry's potion vanished; he was left standing foolishly beside an empty cauldron.

"Those of you who _have _managed to read the instructions, fill one flagon with a sample of your potion, label it clearly with your name, and bring it up to my desk for testing," said Snape. "Homework: twelve inches of parchment on the properties of moonstone and its uses in potion-making, to be handed in on Thursday."

I quickly filled my flask and cleared away my things knowing Harry would be the first out the door when the bell rang. I was the first to hand my potion into Snape and quickly made my way over to Harry's table placing my hand on top of his. He looked up at me with a small smile and stood up to give me a kiss on the cheek. "Is that bell _ever _going to ring?" He asked impatiently as Draco glared at us from across the room.

I just squeezed his hand.

"Snape's an arse." I told him.

"I know," Harry said. "I don't want to talk about it."

The bell rang then and Harry practically ran to the Great Hall for lunch dragging me along with him. "Whoa, where's the fire?" I said almost having to run to keep up with him.

"The longer I stay in Snape's classroom the harder I want to punch something." He replied simply leading me over to the Gryffindor table. He was all ready piling food on the top of his plate by the time Ron and Hermione reached us Hermione sliding in on my other side.

"That was really unfair," said Hermione consolingly, sitting down next to Harry and helping herself to shepherd's pie. "Your potion wasn't nearly as bad as Goyle's, when he put it in his flagon the whole thing shattered and set his robes on fire."

"Yeah, well," said Harry, glowering at his plate, "since when has Snape ever been fair to me?"

"I did think he might be a bit better this year," said Hermione in a disappointed voice. "I mean . . . you know. . ." She looked carefully around; there were half a dozen empty seats on either side of them and nobody was passing the table. ". . . Now he's in the Order and everything."

"Poisonous toadstools don't change their spots," said Ron sagely. "Anyway, I've always thought Dumbledore was cracked trusting Snape, where's the evidence he ever really stopped working for You-Know-Who?"

"I think Dumbledore's probably got plenty of evidence, even if he doesn't share it with you, Ron," snapped Hermione.

"Oh, shut up, the pair of you," said Harry heavily, as Ron opened his mouth to argue back. Hermione and Ron both froze, looking angry and offended. "Can't you give it a rest?" he said. "You're always having a go at each other, it's driving me mad." And abandoning his shepherd's pie, he swung his schoolbag back over his shoulder and left.

Ron and Hermione sat in shock for a moment until I sighed looking at the food on my plate. "Is he always this moody?" I asked them grabbing my bag and standing up to follow him.

Hermione, still looking angry replied, "this year he has been."

I nodded and quickly ran after Harry who was all ready passing the doors to the Great Hall. "Harry! Harry!" I ran after him until I reached him at the top of the stairs out of breath, that boy was a fast walker.

"What!" He turned around glaring.

I raised my eyebrows at him. "Potter, I haven't done a damn thing to you, I don't care how Snape treats you. You will not turn that attitude on me. I won't have it." I turned on my heel and started climbing back down the stairs but after about two steps and arm wrapped around my arm stopping me.

"I'm sorry, it's just, I've been so angry lately and I don't know why. I shouldn't take it out on you."

"Damn right you shouldn't," I said turning back around to glare at him, but before I could even say another word, his hands were on either side of my face and his lips were pressed against mine fiercely. "That was definitely not fair." I said when he pulled away, both of us slightly breathless.

"I don't play fair," he replied grinning. "Something I must have picked up from a Slytherin."

I rolled my eyes reaching for his arm and tugging him back up the stairs.

"Where are we going?" He asked.

"I want to show you my new room." I said simply.

"You got a new room?"

"Yep, well, Dobby found me a new room and Dumbledore approved it." By that time we had reached the corridor the Room of Requirement was on and I started walking up and down the small piece of wall, ignoring Harry's odd looks. After the third time the door appeared and I reached for the handle grabbing Harry's hand (he was too shocked to move) and pulled him into the room.

"Wow." Harry finally managed to say. "This is amazing." He looked at me as I hopped onto the couch. "Wait – did you say Dobby found you this room? Is that what you went to do last night? Find somewhere else to stay?"

"Actually, I went to apologize to Dobby, him knowing a place I could stay was just a bonus." I said grinning.

Harry moved from the doorway and sat down beside me on the couch. "You apologized to Dobby?"

I shrugged, "my family and I treated him like crap and he didn't deserve it so I apologized."

Harry smiled, "that was a really nice thing to do Em."

I blushed a little. "It was the right thing to do."

Harry put one hand on my cheek leaning forward until our lips barely brushed against each other. I sighed at his teasing and leaned forward melding our lips together slightly parted. His hand moved from the side of my face to tangle in my hair as I moved one of my legs over his to sit in his lap so I could kiss him better. As I opened my mouth more his hands slid from my hair down to rest on my sides as my fingers greedily moved to his hair.

I still couldn't believe he was mine. Out of all the girls in the whole entire school, he picked me. It didn't make any sense to me. I should have been the last person on his mind considering my brother, but that didn't matter to him.

_I was standing outside the Shrieking Shack by the fence in a secluded corner that was hard to see until you were right up on it. It was a previously agreed upon location, and Harry was supposed to meet me here about half an hour ago now. _

_ About fifteen minutes later, I was about to give up and go to the castle when warm arms wrapped around my waist from behind and a head rested on top of my shoulder. "I had about given up on you." I said my arms crossed. "I thought we were meeting almost an hour ago?"_

_ "I couldn't get away from them until about ten minutes ago; Hermione was bugging me about the third task." Harry said kissing my cheek. "I'm sorry."_

_ "Yeah, speaking of that," I turned around in his arms and wrapped my arms around his neck. "You are preparing aren't you?"_

_ He groaned, "Yes, I'm practicing a bunch of spells Hermione thinks will be useful every night. It's not a big deal."_

_ I leaned my head against his shoulder, burying my face in his neck. "I'm just afraid you'll get hurt. I have a bad feeling about this."_

_ "I'm going to be fine." He repeated wrapping his arms more tightly around me. "I promise."_

_ "You can't promise that." I mumbled into his shoulder. _

_ "Okay, how about this?" He loosened his arms so he could look me in the eyes. "I, Harry James Potter, promise to stay out of danger if at all possible." He said solemnly._

_ I looked into his eyes suddenly feeling horrible. "I'm sorry," I said pulling out of his arms and turning away from him. _

_ "What? What are you sorry for?" He asked grabbing my arm and pulling me back to face him._

_ "That it has to be like this! Meeting in secret, only getting to spend time together once a week, it's not fair to you!" I furiously rubbed some tears that had leaked over. "We shouldn't do this anymore, you need someone that can be there for you in public and-"_

_ "Emily! I don't care all right?" He placed his hands on my cheeks forcing me to look at him. "I don't care about sneaking around with you because I care about you. No matter what we have to do to be together, I want to be together with you all right?"_

_ I stared at him for a few moments before leaning up to press my lips against his._

We had to leave my room about fifteen minutes before the bell rang because Harry had to get all the way to Divination and I had to get to Ancient Runes. When I reached the classroom, barely on time, Hermione gestured me into a seat beside her. "How is he?" She asked me when I sat down.

"I think he's all right. He was in a better mood when we left for class." I said as the Professor starting writing our instructions on the board.

Hermione nodded and we sat in silence as the teacher started going over our work for the day.

"Emily?" Hermione said when we had about ten minutes left in the class.

I glanced up at her from my work, "yes?"

She took a deep breath. "I just wanted to say thank you. For what you did on the train yesterday. It was very . . . nice of you, and I didn't deserve it with the way I've treated you this summer, and I'm sorry."

I stared at her in complete shock. If it had been anyone else, I would have thought they were joking, but I couldn't find one thing in her eyes that said she was joking. "It's fine, if I had been in your position I would have been skeptical of me to." I finally managed to stay.

She smiled at me and I smiled back.

"So what happened between you two?" Harry asked outside Defense Against the Dark Arts after giving me a kiss, noticing Hermione and I walking up to them laughing at the story Hermione told me about the time Ron tried to read tea leaves last year.

I shrugged, "we just talked about some stuff, and she told me some funny stories about you." I teased.

His eyes widened in fear, "like what?"

At that moment the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, a fat little woman in a bright pink outfit, opened the door to let us in. "You will never know." I replied as Harry slid into the seat beside me in the back of the room.

He opened his mouth to retort, but the Professor interrupted him. "Well, good afternoon!"

A few people mumbled, "Good afternoon," in reply.

I rolled my eyes.

"Tut, tut," she said. "_That _won't do, now, will it? I should like you, please, to reply 'Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge.' One more time, please. Good afternoon, class!"

"Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge," We chanted back at her.

"There, now," said Professor Umbridge sweetly. "That wasn't too difficult, was it? Wands away and quills out, please."

I exchanged a bored look with Harry as we got our quills out, no magic classes didn't keep my attention very long. Practical lessons were much more interesting.

Professor Umbridge opened her handbag, extracted her own wand, which was an unusually short one, and tapped the blackboard sharply with it; words appeared on the board at once:

_Defense Against the Dark Arts_

_A Return to Basic Principles_

"Well now, your teaching in this subject has been rather disrupted and fragmented hasn't it?" stated Professor Umbridge, turning to face the class with her hands clasped neatly in front of her. "The constant changing of teachers, many of whom do not seem to have followed any Ministry-approved curriculum, has unfortunately resulted in your being far below the standard we would expect to see in your O.W.L year."

And that's when I zoned out. It was like the acronym suddenly caused me to stop listening. I reached under the table and grabbed Harry's hand playing with his fingers as Umbridge droned on and on about how we weren't ready for O.W.L.s. Like I cared. I had more important things to worry about. When everybody started opening their books I did the same looking over at Harry's book to see what we were supposed to be doing and started flipping pages at random moments when it seemed like enough time. Eventually though, I noticed Harry was staring at something and I turned to see what he was looking at. Hermione was sitting there, with her book closed, staring fixedly at Professor Umbridge with her hand in the air.

"Did you want to ask something about the chapter, dear?" she asked Hermione, as though she had only just noticed her.

"Not about the chapter, no," said Hermione.

"Well, we're reading just now," said Professor Umbridge, showing her small, pointed teeth. "If you have other queries we can deal with them at the end of class."

"I've got a query about your course aims," said Hermione.

Professor Umbridge raised her eyebrows.

"And your name is -?"

"Hermione Granger," said Hermione.

"Well, Miss Granger, I think the course aims are perfectly clear if you read them through carefully," said Professor Umbridge in a voice of determined sweetness.

"Well, I don't," said Hermione bluntly. "There's nothing written up there about _using _defensive spells."

_Huh she's right, _I thought to myself as I read the course aims for the first time.

"_Using _defensive spells?" Professor Umbridge repeated with a little laugh. "Why, I can't imagine any situation arising in my classroom that would require you to _use _a defensive spell, Miss Granger. You surely aren't expecting to be attacked during class?"

My hand froze on top of Harry's.

"We're not going to use magic?" Ron said loudly.

"Students raise their hands when they wish to speak in my class, Mr. - ?"

"Weasley," said Ron, thrusting his hand into the air.

Professor Umbridge smiling still more widely turned her back on him. Harry and Hermione immediately raised their hands too. Professor Umbridge's pouchy eyes lingered on Harry for a moment before she addressed Hermione.

"Yes, Miss Granger? You wanted to ask something else?"

"Yes," said Hermione, "Surely the whole point of Defense Against the Dark Arts is to practice defensive spells?"

"Are you a Ministry-trained educational expert, Miss Granger?" asked Professor Umbridge in her falsely sweet voice.

"No, but-"

"Well then, I'm afraid you are not a qualified to decide what the 'whole point' of any class is. Wizards much older and cleverer than you have devised our new program of study. You will be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk-free way -"

"What the hell is the use of that then?" I said loudly "If we're going to be attacked -"

"_Hand, _Miss Malfoy!" sang Professor Umbridge.

"It won't be risk free!" I continued even louder, over her.

Umbridge turned away from us to one of the many other people in the classroom that had their hands in the air.

"And your name is?" Professor Umbridge said to Dean.

"Dean Thomas."

"Well, Mr. Thomas?"

"Well, it's like Emily said isn't it?" said Dean. "If we're going to be attacked, it won't be risk-free -"

"I repeat," said Professor Umbridge, smiling in a very irritating fashion at Dean, "do you expect to be attacked during my classes?"

"No but -"

Professor Umbridge talked over him.

"I do not wish to criticize the way things have been run in this school," she said, an unconvincing smile stretching her wide mouth, "but you have been exposed to some very irresponsible wizards in this class, very irresponsible – not to mention," she gave a nasty little laugh, "extremely dangerous half-breeds."

"If you mean Professor Lupin," piped up Dean Thomas angrily, "he was the best we ever -"

"_Hand, _Mr. Thomas! As I was saying – you have been introduced to spells that have been complex, inappropriate to your age group, and potentially lethal. You have been frightened into believing that you are likely to meet Dark attacks every other day -"

"No we haven't," Hermione said, "we just-"

"_Your hand is not up, Miss Granger!"_

Hermione put up her hand; Professor Umbridge turned away from her.

"It is my understanding that my predecessor not only performed illegal curses in front of you, he actually performed them _on _you-"

"Well, he turned out to be a maniac, didn't he?" said Dean Thomas hotly. "Mind you, we still learned loads-"

"_Your hand is not up, Mr. Thomas!" _trilled Professor Umbridge, "Now it is the view of the Ministry that a theoretical knowledge will be more than sufficient to get you through your examination, which, after all, is what school is all about. And your name is?" she added, starting at Parvati, whose hand had just shot up.

"Parvati Patil, and isn't there a practical bit in our Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L.? Aren't we supposed to show that we can actually do the countercurses and things?"

"As long as you have studied the theory hard enough, there is no reason why you should not be able to perform the spells under carefully controlled examination conditions," said Professor Umbridge dismissively.

"Without ever practicing them before?" said Parvati incredulously, "Are you telling us that the first time we'll get to do the spells will be during our exam?"

"I repeat, as long as you have studied the theory hard enough -"

"And what good's theory going to be in the real world?" said Harry echoing my thoughts.

Professor Umbridge looked up.

"This is school Mr. Potter, not the real world," she said softly.

"School is what is supposed to prepare you for what's waiting out there in the real world!" I said.

"There is nothing waiting out there, Miss Malfoy."

"Oh yeah?" said Harry. His temper rising as his hand clenched into a fist under mine.

"Who do you imagine wants to attack children like yourselves?" inquired Professor Umbridge.

"Hmm, let's think. . ." I said looking at Harry with my finger on my chin as if I was thinking hard. "What is his name again?"

"_Lord Voldemort?" _Harry said in a mock thoughtful voice.

"OH! That's right," I said as Ron gasped, Lavender Brown uttered a little scream and Neville slipped sideways off his stool. Professor Umbridge, however, did not flinch. She was staring at us with a grimly satisfied expression on her face.

"Ten points from Gryffindor and Slytherin, Mr. Potter and Miss Malfoy."

The classroom was silent and still Everyone was staring at either Umbridge or Harry.

"Now, let me make a few things quite plain."

Professor Umbridge stood up and leaned toward them, her stubby fingered hands splayed on her desk.

"You have been told that a certain Dark wizard has returned from the dead -"

"He wasn't dead," said Harry angrily, "but yeah, he's returned!"

"Mr.-Potter-you-have-already-lost-your-House-ten-points-do-not-make-matters-worse-for-yourself," said Professor Umbridge in one breath. "AS I was saying, you have been informed that a certain Dark wizard is at large once again. _This is a lie."_

"It is NOT a lie!" said Harry. "I saw him, I fought him!"

"Detention Mr. Potter!" said Professor Umbridge triumphantly.

"Well you might as well give me detention to because it's _not _a lie." I said crossing my arms and glaring at her.

"Very well! Tomorrow evening. Five o'clock. My office. I repeat, _this is a lie. _The Ministry of Magic guarantees that you are not in danger from any Dark Wizard -"

"Fat load of good that does us, the Ministry's a load of dragon dung. They don't know a damn thing about anything anymore." I interrupted rolling my eyes.

"That's it! Come here Miss Malfoy!" I put my bag over my shoulder and made my way to her desk as she furiously began writing on a piece of parchment. "Take this to Professor Snape." She said handing me a piece of paper.

"Sure thing Professor!" I said with false happiness as I practically skipped out of the classroom giving Harry a wink as I passed by his desk.

**A/N: I am so sorry this is late! But in my defense, this is the LONGEST chapter I have EVER written, and some parts definitely took longer than necessary, but I thought it turned out pretty good. Please review and let me know what you think! **


	6. Eclipse All Yours

"Are you serious? He laughed? You told Snape you had detention for the rest of the week and he laughed?" Ron said in disbelief.

"Well not exactly about the detention, he laughed when I told him what I said about the Ministry," _And some other things . . ._

_ "So you told Professor Umbridge, the Senior Undersecretary of the Minister of Magic, that the Ministry was a," he glanced back at the sheet of pink paper with a smirk, "load of dragon dung?" _

_ "Yep, pretty much," I replied without a tinge of regret in my voice._

_ He chuckled, "sit down Miss Malfoy; we need to talk about some things." _

_ I assumed he meant the letter, but he crumpled it up and threw it in the trashcan. "Emily, I know you must have reservations about trusting me because of my association of the Dark Lord-"_

_ "You bet I do." I interrupted._

_ He held up his hand to stop me, "but I assure you, I am fully committed to Albus Dumbledore no matter what the Dark Lord thinks."_

_ "Why should I trust you?" I said crossing my arms._

_ "I can't give you a reason other than the fact that you stayed safe all summer when I could have easily told him where you were." _

_ I just sat there with my arms still crossed, not knowing whether to believe him or not. "All right, can I go now?" _

_ He gestured me out of the room. _

"He's not that bad to his own house you know." I said.

Ron opened his mouth to reply when someone down the table said in a rather loud whisper, "He says he saw Cedric Diggory murdered. . ."

"He reckons he dueled with You-Know-Who. . ."

"Come off it. . . ."

"Pur-_lease . . ."_

"What I don't get," said Harry through clenched teeth, laying down his knife and fork with shaking hands, "is why they all believed the story two months ago when Dumbledore told them. . . ."

"The thing is, Harry, I'm not sure they did," said Hermione grimly. "Oh, let's get out of here."

She slammed down her own knife and fork; Ron looked sadly at his half-finished apple pie but followed suit. People stared at us all the way out of the Hall.

"What d'you mean, you're not sure they believed Dumbledore?" Harry asked Hermione when we reached the first-floor landing.

"Look, you don't understand what it was like after it happened," said Hermione quietly.

_Damn right he didn't._

_ I kept glancing at my watch every few minutes annoying the crap out of my brother. "Do you have somewhere to be Emily?" He asked finally._

_ I shook my head. "Nope, I'm just ready for this thing to be over." _

_ He seemed to accept this answer and turned back to Crabbe and Goyle who were hopeing that Harry had somehow managed to die in the maze. _

_ Suddenly there was a flash of light and Harry appeared in the middle of the field clutching Cedric Diggory who wasn't moving. _

_ I immediately started running down from the bleachers realizing that something was wrong._

My hand involuntarily clenched around Harry's as his voice cried out in my mind.

_"He's back! Voldemort's back! He-he killed Cedric! He asked me to bring his body back, I couldn't leave him! Not there!" I shoved more viciously through the crowd, not caring that people were going to wonder what I was doing. I had to get to him. I had to make sure he was all right. By the time, I had finally made it to where Cedric's body was laying, Harry was gone._

"You arrived back in the middle of the lawn clutching Cedric's dead body. . . . None of us saw what happened in the maze. . . . We just had Dumbledore's word for it that You-Know-Who had come back and killed Cedric and fought you."

_"He's back then? He came back and my Dad was there to help?" I asked Harry in the hospital wing around three in the morning. _

_ Harry nodded, clenching my hand tighter. "I don't want you to go back there this summer Em, I'm afraid they'll try and recruit you." _

_ I shook my head, "Harry, I don't have a choice. If I don't go home, my family will get suspicious and-"_

_ "I don't care about them getting suspicious anymore! I care about your safety! If you go home this summer I can't protect you!"_

_ I could sense he was starting to get a little hysterical, something that definitely didn't need to happen while he was in this state. "Okay Harry I'll promise you this, if my family tries to make me become a Death Eater or something like that, I will find you and leave my house okay?"_

_ He stared at me for a few moments before nodding._

"Which is the truth!" said Harry loudly bringing me out of my thoughts.

"I know it is, Harry, so will you _please _stop biting my head off?" said Hermione wearily.

I gave Harry's hand another squeeze telling him to calm down with my eyes.

"It's just that before the truth could sink in, everyone went home for the summer where they spent two months reading about how you're a nutcase and Dumbledore's going senile! _Mimbulus mimbletonia," _said Hermione before the Fat Lady could ask.

"I guess I'll see you guys tomorrow." I said letting go of Harry's hand and turning back to go to my room when Harry grabbed my arm.

"Don't be ridiculous." He said pulling me through the hole behind the portrait.

I started to protest, but Hermione gave me a look that told me it was utterly useless, and I closed my mouth. The common room was practically empty anyway; most people were still at dinner. The Gryffindor Common Room had a very homey feeling covered in warm colors and a nice big fire.

The Golden Trio sat down in three chairs by the fire, Harry pulling me into his lap. I curled into him resting my head against his shoulder while his arms wrapped around me.

_"How _can Dumbledore have let this happen?" Hermione cried suddenly, making us jump. "How can he let that terrible woman teach us? And in our O.W.L. year too!"

"Well, we've never had great Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers have we?" said Harry. "You know what it's like, Hagrid told us, nobody wants the job, they say it's jinxed."

"Yes, but to employ someone who's actually refusing to let us do magic! _What's _Dumbledore playing at?"

"And she's trying to get people to spy for her," said Ron darkly. "Remember when she said she wanted us to come and tell her if we hear anyone saying You-Know-Who's back?"

"Of course she's here to spy on us all, that's obvious, why else would Fudge have wanted her to come?" snapped Hermione.

"Don't start arguing again," said Harry wearily, as Ron opened his mouth to retaliate. "Can't we just . . . Let's just do that homework, get it out of the way. . . ."

"Yeah, I need to get back to my room before anyone starts noticing a Slytherin in here." I leaned down to give Harry a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you guys at breakfast."

Harry pouted as I got out of his lap but nodded as I grabbed my bag and left the Common Room.

When I got back to my room I pulled open my bag and managed to finish my Charms homework and about three of Snape's twelve inches on the properties of moonstone and its uses in potion making before I decided to call it a night.

The next morning I woke up a little later than yesterday so I just left my hair in its natural waves not bothering to do anything except dry it. When I sat down at the Gryffindor table ignoring the stares I realized Harry was not in a better mood today.

"But on the plus side, no Snape today," said Ron bracingly.

Hermione yawned widely and poured herself some coffee looking mildly pleased about something. I yawned as well and laid my head against Harry's shoulder not bothering to eat anything. "Why are you so tired, you left pretty early last night." He asked.

"Finishing homework, you get a load of stuff from Flitwick, I think it's the most we've ever had." I said, "and I only managed to get about three inches on Snape's essay before I conked out."

Harry groaned as Hermione explained to Ron about all of her hats being gone.

"I wouldn't bet on it," Ron told her cuttingly. "They might not count as clothes. They didn't look anything like hats to me, more like woolly bladders."

"Well let's see you knit something and see what you come up with Ron. I'm sure it'll be brilliant." I said taking my head off of Harry's shoulder to glare at him properly.

Ron mumbled something under his breath as Hermione shot me a great full look.

I didn't have any classes with Harry that morning so I spent the lunch hour with Harry and Ron in the library helping them with their essays about moonstones because Hermione was still mad at Ron and didn't want to help.

We did end up having Care of Magical Creatures together that afternoon, but the pile of homework was seriously starting to mess me up, and we had our first detention with Umbridge tonight.

"Everyone here?" barked Professor Grubbly-Plank, once all the Slytherins and Gryffindors had arrived. "Let's crack on then – who can tell me what these things are called?"

She indicated the heap of twigs in front of her. Hermione's hand shot into the air, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Draco do a buck-toothed imitation of her jumping up and down in eagerness to answer a question. I turned around to shoot him a glare which he crossed his arms and returned while Pansy Parkinson gave a shriek of laughter which turned into a scream and I turned back to the front to notice the twigs on the table leapt into the air and revealed themselves to be what looked like tiny pixieish creatures.

"Oooooh!" said Parvati and Lavender.

Those girls were really annoying.

"Kindly keep your voices down, girls!" said Professor Grubbly-Plank sharply, scattering a handful of what looked like brown rice among the stick-creatures, who immediately fell upon the food. "So – anyone know the names of these creatures? Miss Granger?"

"Bowtruckles," said Hermione. "They're tree-guardians, usually live in wand-trees."

These were possibly the most boring looking things I had ever seen. I mean honestly couldn't there be a splash of color in there somewhere?

Suddenly the class surged forward around the trestle table. Man, I really needed to start paying attention more. I just followed Harry who was asking Professor Grubbly-Plank where Hagrid was.

"Never you mind," she replied.

Suddenly Draco leaned across the table and grabbed a bowtruckle. "Maybe," said Draco in an undertone, so that only Harry could hear him, "the stupid great oaf's got himself badly injured."

"Just go back to your future wife Draco and leave us alone." I said trying to pull Harry away, but they were both ignoring me.

"Maybe you will if you don't shut up," said Harry out of the side of his mouth.

"Harry! Just ignore him!" I said pulling on the sleeve of his robe.

Harry finally turned to me and nodded before walking off to join Ron and Hermione. "You don't have to act like this you know Draco." I told him.

He shook his head, "it's in my blood Emily, and it's in yours too, no matter how much you don't want to be, you'll always be a Malfoy." With those words he walked away smirking over his shoulder at Harry.

"Has my brother always been this big of an ass?" I asked when I sat down beside Harry.

"Yep, pretty much," Ron replied.

"Dumbledore would know if something had happened to Hagrid," said Hermione at once, "It's just playing into Malfoy's hands to look worried, it tells him we don't know exactly what's going on. We've got to ignore him, Harry. Here, hold the bowtruckle for a moment, just so I can draw its face. . . ."

"Yes," came my brother's clear drawl from the group nearest them, "Father was talking to the Minister just a couple of days ago, you know, and it sounds as though the Ministry's really determined to crack down on substandard teaching in this place. So even if that over-grown moron _does _show up again, he'll probably be sent packing straight away."

"OUCH!"

Harry had gripped the bowtruckle so hard that it had almost snapped; it had just taken a great retaliatory swipe at his hand with its sharp fingers, leaving two long deep cuts there. Harry dropped it; Crabbe and Goyle, who had already been guffawing at the idea of Hagrid being sacked, laughed still harder as the bowtruckle set off at full tilt toward the forest, a little, moving stickman soon swallowed up by the tree roots.

"Here, let me see it," I took his hand carefully in mine taking out my wand and muttering a cleaning spell for cuts under my breath before taking out a handkerchief of mine and wrapping it around his hand.

"Thanks," he said still sounding upset.

The bell rang and I walked with Harry to Herbology. We were kissing at about the time the nearest greenhouse opened and some fourth years spilled out of it.

"Hi Harry!" I pulled away to find Ginny Weasley glaring at me violently. If looks could kill, I would definitely be head.

"Oh, hey Ginny," Harry said sounding surprised.

She gave him another flirtatious wave before walking away still shooting me a glare over her shoulder.

"Hermione?" I tugged on her robes. "Why does Ginny hate me so much?"

Hermione followed Ginny with her eyes waiting until she was a safe distance away before answering. "She's had a crush on Harry since she met him five years ago. I thought she was over it, but since you and Harry have been hanging out . . . I guess she's not."

I nodded and gave Harry another quick kiss on the cheek before heading off to Transfiguration.

Harry and I both met outside Professor Umbridge's office that night for our first detention. "What do you think she'll make us do?" Harry asked me as he knocked on her door.

"No idea," I replied.

"Come in," she said in a sugary voice.

We entered cautiously, looking around.

I really thought I was going to be sick. Everything was either covered in lace, flowers, kittens or pink. Seriously if someone stayed in their long enough, they would probably become color blind.

"Good evening Mr. Potter, Miss Malfoy."

"Evening," we replied stiffly.

"Well, sit down," she said, pointing toward a small table draped in lace beside which she had drawn up a straight-backed chair. Two pieces of blank parchment lay on the table, apparently waiting for us.

"Er," said Harry, without moving. "Professor Umbridge? Er – before we start, I-I wanted to ask you a . . . a favor."

Her bulging eyes narrowed.

"Oh yes?"

"Well I'm . . . I'm on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. And I was supposed to be at the tryouts for the new Keeper at five o'clock on Friday and I was – was wondering whether I could skip detention that night and do it – do it another night . . . instead . . ."

That definitely wasn't happening.

"Oh no," said Umbridge, smiling so widely that she looked as though she had just swallowed a particularly juicy fly. "Oh no, no, no. This is your punishment for spreading evil, nasty, attention-seeking stories, Mr. Potter, and punishments certainly cannot be adjusted to suit the guilty one's convenience. No, you will come here at five o'clock tomorrow, and the next day, and on Friday too, and you will do your detentions as planned. I think it rather a good thing that you are missing something you really want to do. It ought to reinforce the lesson I am trying to teach you."

I opened my mouth to say something about Harry's "evil, nasty, attention-seeking stories", but Harry discreetly stepped on my toe. I glared at him but closed my mouth.

"There," said Umbridge sweetly as we sat down, "we're getting better at controlling our temper already, aren't we? Now you are going to be doing some lines for me, you two. No, not with your quill," she added as Harry bent down to open his bag. "You're going to be using a rather special one of mine. Here you are."

She handed us both a long, thin black quill with an unusually sharp point.

"I want you to write '_I must not tell lies,'_" she told us softly.

"How many times?" I asked, sounding bored.

"Oh, as long as it takes for the message to _sink in," _said Umbridge sweetly. "Off you go."

She moved over to her desk, sat down, and bent over a stack of parchment that looked like essays for marking. I raised the quill and was about to write when Harry and I realized something at the same time. "You haven't given us any ink," Harry said.

"Oh, you won't need ink," said Professor Umbridge with the merest suggestion of a laugh in her voice.

I sat the quill on the paper and wrote: _I must not tell lies._

I heard Harry let out a gasp of pain, and at almost the exact same time the words I had just written appeared on the back of my right hand carved into my skin almost as soon as I had noticed it though, the words were gone.

"Yes?" Umbridge said smiling.

"Nothing," said Harry quietly.

_That bitch._

"That horrible, disgusting, worthless, bitch of a woman! What the hell is she playing at! This is illegal! I swear I'm going to beat her to a pulp and leave her a pile of pink dust!"

Harry wrapped an arm around my waist and kissed the top of my head. "I'll be right behind you." He said.

I started pacing by the wall to my room until it opened. "I am seriously going to make her year a living hell here if it's the last thing I do."

I looked back to notice Harry hadn't followed me, "I should probably be getting back to Gryffindor tower."

"Don't be ridiculous." I repeated his words pulling him in. "You can stay here tonight. There's no point in you going all the way back to the Common Room. I can even help you with your homework in the morning."

He thought about it for a moment before grinning and following me inside.

The next morning I helped Harry and Ron, who had not done any of his homework either, on their Vanishing Spells, something I had managed to do by the end of Transfiguration, and helped them come up with some fake dreams for Divination.

"How come you didn't do it last night?" Harry asked Ron, who muttered something about "doing other stuff," before bending low over his parchment and scrawling a few words.

After that I hurried off to Ancient Runes before the bell rang. "So how was detention last night?" Hermione asked me when I sat down.

"Not too bad," I lied, "she just had Harry and I do lines."

"Well that's not so bad." She said.

The rest of the week was not the best. The only time Harry and I got to spend any alone time with each other was when we had detention with Umbridge which wasn't a very romantic setting. I was definitely ready for the weekend to get here and some alone time with my boyfriend without worrying about classes or my brother.

**A/N: So this chapter is not that great, but I swear I'll do better next chapter. Please review I would really appreciate it! **


	7. Coffee Break

Saturday morning I woke up bright and early excited to finally get some alone time with Harry. I dressed in a gray mini skirt that flared out and had buttons in the center from the top to the bottom and a purple sweep tank top with a few buttons down the neckline. I blow dried my hair and left it in its natural waves. I practically ran to the Gryffindor Common Room telling the Fat Lady the password and hurrying to the Boy's dorms finding Harry still asleep. I sat on his bed closing the drapes around us before leaning down to press my lips against his sleeping ones. Almost immediately his arms wrapped around me and he pulled me down onto his bed under him causing me to laugh quietly. "Good morning," he said after reaching over me to put on his glasses.

"Morning," I grinned pulling him down to kiss me.

He kissed me back for a few moments before pulling away. "Not that I don't appreciate the wake-up call, but what are you doing up so early?"

"I wanted to go ahead and help you with your homework so we could spend some time hanging out outside of the Pink Toad's office." I ran my fingers through his hair. "Right now we are seriously lacking in that department."

Harry sighed playfully, "I guess, but I'm just warning you, I have a lot."

"Okay, get up and get dressed!" I said pushing him off of me.

I met him in the Common Room in about twenty minutes and helped him with his homework before he wrote a letter to Sirius. "Don't you feel better now that you have all that homework out of the way?" I said taking both of his hands in mine.

"Definitely," He replied pulling me close to give me a kiss before we continued on our way to the Owlery.

I watched him tie the letter to Hedwig with my back against the wall and my arms crossed thinking back to the first time I saw Harry here.

_I had just sent a letter to my parents and I was watching the sky turn blue when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around and found myself face to face with Harry Potter. He shot me a glare but didn't say anything as he called one of the school owls down. "I thought you had your own owl Potter?" I said._

_ He didn't respond just tied the letter around the owl's leg._

_ "So, do you know who put your name in the Goblet?" _

_ That got a response, "you don't think I put my name in the Goblet?" _

_ I slid off the window sill and stared at him. "Even someone as dumb as you Potter surely wouldn't be stupid enough to put your name in a Goblet that would enter you in a competition where you very likely might die when you are trying so gallantly to save the world."_

_ He cocked his head slightly to the left, "why should I tell you anything?"_

_ I shrugged, "because I might be one of the only people in the school that believes you didn't put your name in the Goblet."_

_ He stared at me for a moment, "you're not like your brother are you?"_

_ I sighed, crossing my arms, "what would give you that impression?"_

_ "Because by now, he would have said something about betting I would only survive five minutes."_

_ I nodded, "you're probably right."_

"What are you thinking about?" Harry asked bringing me out of my thoughts as he pressed himself close to me placing his hands on my hips.

I smiled placing my hands against his chest, playing with the buttons on his shirt. "The first time we really talked to each other. It was right here you know."

He looked around, "it was wasn't it?"

"Yep," I looked up into his eyes. "Are you glad you did?"

"Very," he said leaning down to press his lips against mine.

We were getting a little carried away when the Owlery door opened and we jumped apart, Harry fixing his askew glasses while I straightened my shirt out. "Oh . . . hi," Cho Chang said breathlessly. "I didn't think anyone would be up here this early. . . . I only remembered five minutes ago, it's my mum's birthday."

This girl really irked me. We were in the middle of something.

"Right," said Harry.

"Good Quidditch conditions today. I haven't been out all week, have you?" She said looking out the window.

Really? You're here to mail a letter no need to make small talk. Just mail your stupid present and leave.

"No," said Harry.

"Hey, has Gryffindor got a new Keeper yet?" she asked.

This small talk was really starting to annoy me. She was cutting into some of the only alone time I've had with Harry all week.

"Yeah," said Harry. "It's my friend Ron Weasley, d'you know him?"  
She nodded. "Is he any good?"

"Yeah," said Harry, "I think so. I didn't see his tryout, though, I was in detention."

She opened her mouth to respond, but I interrupted her. "Well, it was nice seeing you Chang, but my boyfriend and I have some catching up to do." I said wrapping my arms around Harry's waist and staring up at him trying to look as love-sick as possible.

Harry gave me a weird look but nodded. "I'll see you around." He said wrapping an arm around my shoulder and following me out the doors. "What was that about?" he asked when we exited the Owlery.

"What was what about?" I said acting confused.

"That stuff with Cho."

"Harry, I have no idea what you're talking about. I think you need some breakfast in you, you haven't had much sleep."

Harry opened his mouth to respond, but I dragged him along into the Great Hall.

"Morning," we said brightly to Ron and Hermione as we sat down at the Gryffindor table.

"Where have you two been?" Ron asked as Harry pilled some food on his plate.

"Around," we replied at the same time grinning at each other.

"What do you look so happy about?" Ron asked.

"Erm . . . Quidditch later," said Harry happily, pulling a large platter of bacon and eggs toward him.

"You have Quidditch today?" I asked with a pout.

"Yeah, but we'll hang out when it's over I promise. Why don't you come watch?"

He looked so excited I couldn't tell him no. "Sure, as long as Hermione comes with to keep me company." I said quickly.

Hermione shot me a slight glare but nodded.

"Listen . . . you don't fancy going out a bit earlier with me, do you? Just to – er – give me some practice before training? So I can, you know, get my eye in a bit . . ." Ron said to Harry.

"Yeah, okay," said Harry.

"Look, I don't think you should," said Hermione seriously, "you're both really behind on homework as it -"

"Actually Hermione," I interrupted her, "Harry's all caught up on homework. I've been helping him after detention and today I woke him up early to finish it."

Hermione gave Harry a surprised look when he nodded, "oh, all right then, but Ron -"

But she broke off; the morning post was arriving and, as usual, the _Daily Prophet _was soaring toward her in the beak of a screech owl, which landed perilously close to the sugar bowl and held out a leg; Hermione pushed a Knut into its leather pouch, took the newspaper, and scanned the front page critically as the owl took off again.

"Anything interesting?" said Ron, eagerly trying to get Hermione off the subject of homework.

"No," she sighed, "just some guff about the bass player in the Weird Sisters getting married. . . ."

She opened the paper and disappeared behind it while Harry helped himself to more food and Ron stared off into space.

"Wait a moment," said Hermione suddenly. "Oh no . . . Sirius!"

"What's happened?" said Harry, and he snatched at the paper so violently that it ripped down the middle so that he and Hermione were holding half each.

"_The Ministry of Magic has received a tip-off from a reliable source that Sirius Black, notorious mass murderer . . . blah blah blah . . . is currently hiding in London!" _Hermione read from her half in an anguished whisper.

"Lucius Malfoy, I'll bet anything," said Harry in a low, furious voice. "I bet he recognized Sirius on the platform!"

_". . . 'Ministry warns Wizarding community that Black is very dangerous . . . killed thirteen people . . . broke out of Azkaban . . .' _the usual rubbish," Hermione concluded, laying down her half of the paper and looking fearfully at Harry and Ron. "Well, he just won't be able to leave the house again, that's all," she whispered. "Dumbledore did warn him not to."

Harry looked down glumly at the bit of the _Prophet _he had torn off. I placed my hand on top of his knee and gave him a kiss on the cheek before continuing with my breakfast.

"Hey!" He said suddenly flattening down the news article. "Look at this!"

"I've got all the robes I want," said Ron.

"No," said Harry, "look . . . this little piece here . . ."

It was an article about Sturgis Podmore who was arrested for trying to break into a high security door at the Ministry of Magic and was sentenced to six months in Azkaban.

"Sturgis Podmore?" said Ron slowly, "but he's that bloke who looks like his head's been thatched, isn't he? He's one of the Ord -"

"Ron, _shh!_" said Hermione, casting a terrified look around them.

"Six months in Azkaban!" whispered Harry, shocked. "Just for trying to get through a door!"

"Don't be silly, it wasn't just for trying to get through a door - what on earth was he doing at the Ministry of Magic at one o'clock in the morning?" breathed Hermione.

"D'you reckon he was doing something for the Order?" "Ron muttered.

"Wait a moment. . . ." said Harry slowly. "Sturgis was supposed to come and see us off, remember?"

We all looked at him.

"Yeah, he was supposed to be part of our guard going to King's Cross remember? And Moody was all annoyed because he didn't turn up, so that doesn't seem like he was supposed to be on a job for them, does it?"

"Well, maybe they didn't expect him to get caught," said Hermione.

"It could be a frame up!" Ron exclaimed excitedly. "No – listen!" he went on, dropping his voice dramatically at the threatening look on Hermione's face. "The Ministry suspects he's one of Dumbledore's lot so – I dunno – they _lured _him to the Ministry, and he wasn't trying to get through a door at all! Maybe they've just made something up to get him!"

Harry and I exchanged disbelieving looks, but Hermione looked rather impressed, "Do you know, I wouldn't be at all surprised if that were true."

Harry put down his knife and fork and then Hermione started going on about homework they should do. They made up some excuse and Harry dragged me out to the Quidditch field with Ron and him. Hermione promising to met me when she got her homework.

"I mean, I can do it tonight," said Ron, as we walked down the sloping lawns toward the Quidditch pitch, their broomsticks over their shoulders. "And I've got tomorrow. She gets too worked up about work, that's her trouble. . . ." There was a pause and he added, in a slightly more anxious tone, "D'you think she meant it when she said we weren't copying from her?"

"Yeah, I do," said Harry. "Still, this is important too, we've got to practice if we want to stay on the Quidditch team. . . ."

"Yeah, that's right," said Ron in a heartened tone. "And we _have _got plenty of time to do it all. . . ."

"Whatever gets you guys through the night." I said, "Now, if you guys don't mind, I'm going to go sit in the stands like a good girlfriend, but don't anticipate me to put on a Gryffindor uniform and start cheering."

"Wouldn't expect you to, in fact it would probably creep me out a little." He said wrapping an arm around my waist and giving me a kiss on the cheek, "have fun."

I made my way over to the stands sitting at the bottom and pulling a book out of my bag called _The Looking Glass Wars. _"What are you reading?" Hermione asked when she caught up to me.

"Have you ever heard the story of Alice and Wonderland?" I asked her.

"Yes it was one of my favorites; I often had my parents read it to me before bed when I was younger." She replied with a slight smile.

"Well it's loosely based on that, and for readers about in their teenage years."

"How did you get a hold of it? I didn't think your parents would want anything muggle related in your house?" She asked curiously.

I reached down beside me and grabbed my bag that I kept with me at all times and handed it to Hermione. "Here, open it up," I said.

She gave me an odd glance but opened up the bag and reached down into it her eyes widening when she felt what was inside. "Is this filled with muggle books?"

I nodded.

She continued to feel through the bag her eyes widening as she continued to feel all the books. "How many are in here?"

I shrugged, "I lost count after about fifty, there was a bookstore a few blocks from my house, and I would tell my parents I was going to run around the block and I would go there."

"This is a really complicated spell! Where did you learn it?"

"A really old spell book, I can show it to you sometimes."

She smiled, "if you don't mind, I bet it will come in handy one day."

I smiled at her and all of the sudden there was a gust of wind and Harry pulled to a stop in front of us. "Hey, I thought you were supposed to be a good girlfriend and watch your boyfriend." He said grinning at me.

I rolled my eyes. "Sorry, it's kind of boring just sitting here watching _nothing_." I smirked.

He rolled his eyes and started to reply when Ron called him over. He shot a quick grin at me before flying off to Ron. I stared after him with a slight smile on my face.

Hermione and I watched them for a little while, Harry throwing the Quaffle while Ron tried to guard the three goal posts. "You make him really happy you know. I haven't seen him smile this much in ages." Hermione said

"He makes me happy to. I don't know where I'd be right now if it wasn't for him." I said with another small smile.

"When did you two start talking? I never even saw you two look at each other before this summer." Hermione asked.

I turned my gaze away from Harry to turn to her. "We started talking the day after his name came out of the Goblet and started dating the night of the Yule Ball."

Her eyes widened, "and no one ever knew?"

I shook my head turning back to Harry who was looking at me instead of paying attention to Ron which caused him to get hit in the gut with the Quaffle that Ron was throwing back to him. I stood up quickly making sure he was okay before I sat down when he flew back up blushing and casting a quick glance at me before he threw the Quaffle back at Ron with particular force.

"Those tasks must have been horrible for you." Hermione said when I sat back down.

I shook my head, "you have no idea."

_I had managed to sneak away from my brother for the second task and was currently staring at the water where all the other contestants had come up. Harry still hadn't come up and I was slowly losing my mind. If he did not come up soon I was seriously about to go jump in the lake and look for him myself, time had ended forever ago. I was pacing back and forth ignoring everyone else and all the Gryffindors who were sitting around staring at the same thing. Suddenly there was a splash and Ron Weasley and a blonde girl came bursting to the surface followed by Harry. I felt my heart finally calm down and was about to run over to met him not caring who saw when a hand grabbed a hold of mine. "Emily what are you doing down here?" I turned around finding my brother looking extremely put out, probably because Harry had made it out alive. _

_ I chanced a quick glance behind me to find Harry watching me. When he caught my gaze he gave me a slight nod signifying he was okay before I turned back around. "Nothing," I said unable to find an insult about Harry that my brother would have approved of. _

Harry and Ron ended up practicing all the way up until lunch to Hermione's displeasure, and she spent the whole entire lunch time getting on to Ron about his homework getting piled up.

"I'm starting to get the feeling they do this a lot." I whispered in Harry's ear as Hermione and Ron started another argument.

"All the time," Harry replied. "Are you going to come out to watch practice?"

"Actually if you don't mind, I'm really behind on sleep and I was hopeing to catch a nap before I steal you away for the rest of the weekend." I said.

He looked a little disappointed but nodded so I leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss against his lips for a moment before pulling away. "I know you're a great Quidditch player Harry you don't have to prove it to me." I whispered in his ear.

"I just wanted us to spend the weekend together and now I feel bad because I'm not getting time to spend with you." Harry said.

I smiled at him. "Come on," I said grabbing his hand and pulling him up with me.

"Where are you going?" Ron asked Harry as I pulled him away.

"He'll meet you on the pitch Ronald." I said over my shoulder still leading Harry away.

I pulled him outside the doors and out onto the grounds stopping under the beech tree by the Lake and sat down patting the seat next to me. "We've got around fifteen minutes until you have to go practice."

Harry smiled and sat down beside me wrapping his arms around me. "You know this spot looks really familiar. . ."

I leaned against him. "Really? Because I don't remember anything," I teased.

He gave my waist a playful squeeze. "Oh, I'm sorry it must be that other girl I met here during the Yule Ball."

I glared at him.

"You know I never pictured you as the jealous type." Harry said grinning.

I scoffed, "I am _not _jealous." I said.

"Oh really? Than what was that stuff with Cho this morning?" Harry asked smirking.

I crossed my arms and looked away. "I have no idea what you're talking about Potter and stop looking at me like that. You look like my brother."

In a quick movement Harry had me pinned under him grinning mischievously, "take it back." He said.

I bit my lip and shook my head.

He let all of his body press against mine and moved his hands threatingly to my side. "Take it back," he whispered in my ear causing a shiver to go down my spine.

"Never," I replied seriously before I burst into laughter because of Harry tickling me. "Harry stop! Harry please stop!" I said in-between giggles.

"Not until you take it back." He said continuing to tickle me.

I had to think of something quick so with all of my strength I flipped over so I was on top of him and leaned down to gently press my lips against his my hands resting on either side of his head. "You cheated," he said when I pulled away his hands reaching up to rest on my hips.

"I'm a Slytherin," I leaned down and whispered in his ear, "we do what we have to do to get what we want."

"And what exactly did you want to do, get me to stop tickling you or kiss me?" He teased.

I just grinned at him. "You will never know," I said leaning down to press my lips against his lingeringly. "Now you have to get to practice. Just remember that's waiting for you when you get out." I said getting off of him.

He groaned but sat up giving me a quick kiss on the cheek before he parted. I started walking back towards the castle, but just when I had reached the doors Draco's owl, Ebony, dropped a red letter into my hands. "Oh no," I said realizing it was a howler and ran in the direction of the green houses. I didn't get very far before the letter exploded and my father's voice echoed across the lawn.

"_EMILY NARCISSA MALFOY HOW DARE YOU DISCRACE THE NAME OF MALFOY LIKE THIS! FIRST YOU SHAME THE FAMILY BY RUNNING AWAY AND NOW WE HEAR YOU'RE ROMANTICALLY INVOLVED WITH HALF-BLOOD BLOOD TRAITOR POTTER! YOU ARE A COMPLETE AND UTTER DISGRACE TO THE NAME OF MALFOY! I HAVE CONTACTED FUDGE AND YOU HAVE BEEN OFFICIALY DISOWNED FROM THE NAME OF MALFOY. YOU WILL HAVE TO FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE TO STAY FOR YOUR BREAKS FROM SCHOOL BECAUSE YOU ARE MOST DEFINITELY NOT WELCOME HERE!" _

And that was when the letter finally burst into flames. I let the ashes that were burning my hands fall to the ground and looked up finding my brother's eyes a few feet away. "Sissy," he said taking a step forward with his arms open.

I walked towards him and grabbed my ring that had the Malfoy Family Symbol on it and took it off. "Didn't you hear Draco? You got your wish," I dropped the ring into his hand. "I'm not your sister anymore."

He looked down at the ring with sad eyes and I shoved past him into the castle.

"Emily, are you going to tell me what happened?" Harry was sitting on my bed beside me one arm on the other side of my body.

"Nothing important happened Harry; it's not a big deal." I sat up and shoved his arm away from me. "Let's go to dinner," I said.

"Emily," he grabbed my arms. "Tell me what's going on. Please?"

I sighed and placed my hand against his cheek. "I'm fine, I swear."

He shook his head, "I don't believe you, but if you don't want to talk, I won't pressure you."

I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and pulled him out the door.

**So yes, this is a lot later than I was planning, but I started college and had to study to get my license for the car my parents bought me so I've had a busy week. Something happens next chapter very important to the story so please review and I will update ASAP. Thanks for reading!**


	8. Never Knew I Needed

When Professor Snape handed me a note that said I was to report to Professor Dumbledore's office immediately, I expected the worst.

So you can imagine my surprise when I opened the door to find Professor Dumbledore sitting at his desk with . . . "Sirius?" Oh no, did he get in trouble for flooing into the Gryffindor Common Room last night?

"Hey Emily!" he said looking incredibly happy to be out of Grimmauld Place.

I gave him a weird look before turning back to Professor Dumbledore. "Professor, what am I doing here?"

"Have a seat Ms. Emily." He said gesturing to a seat in front of his desk beside Sirius. "As I hope you've been informed by now, your family has disowned you officially."

I crossed my arms in front of my chest and looked down only looking up when I felt a hand on my shoulder, giving a small smile to Sirius. "Yes, I've been informed."

"Well, as you can probably figure out for yourself, that puts us in a rather odd predicament. You are in too much danger and know far too much information about the Order to be put in just anyone's care, which is why Sirius is here." I looked away from Professor Dumbledore to stare at Sirius with wide eyes. "You would do that for me?" I said in shock unable to believe someone would just volunteer to take care of someone like me.

He seemed surprised at my shock, "of course, us Black family traitors have to stick together, and you're like my fifth cousin or something, so why wouldn't I?"

I can't believe this is actually happening.

"Unfortunately, since Sirius is technically roaming the country side, we can't draw up official documentation, but we can name him your temporary Guardian until he has been cleared of all charges which I hope to do as soon as Fudge realizes that Voldemort is truly back." Dumbledore said.

"So what am I supposed to do until then?" I asked.

"It will basically be as if he was your official Guardian you will stay at his house during breaks and things along that line."

I turned to Sirius running a hand through my hair, "you don't have to do this you know." I said, "I can do fine on my own."

He shook his head, "no you can't and I want to do it Emily."

"Well, I guess that's settled then, Sirius I'm afraid I must ask you to wait a moment while I get a Portkey -"

"Wait! Professor, what about my last name?" I interrupted.

Sirius and Professor Dumbledore both turned back to me. "What about your last name?" Dumbledore asked.

"I'm not a Malfoy anymore, so I don't really want to keep going by that name anymore." I said.

"I suppose that makes sense, do you have any name in mind?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

I ran my hand through my hair nervously and looked down, "Well my mother's maiden name is Black and Sirius's last name is Black so-"

"Black it is!" Professor Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eyes. "I shall inform the staff and you shall be known as Emily Black."

I nodded and sent a small smile at him before standing up and starting to leave. I was halfway out the door when I turned back, "Sirius?"

He turned to me with a slight smile that I recognized that I had myself, "yeah?"

I nodded at him, "thanks."

By the time I got out of Dumbledore's office, the bell had rang for lunch and I looked around for Harry finding them sitting with Fred, George and Lee Jordan talking about the new Hogwarts High Inquisitor . "Where have you been? You've been gone the whole class period," Harry asked as I squeezed between him and Fred.

"Nothing, I'll tell you about it later." I said.

"Who've you got this afternoon?" Fred asked Harry.

"Trelawney -"

"A T if ever I saw one -"

"- and Umbridge herself."

"Well, be a good boy and keep your temper with Umbridge today," said George. "Angelina'll do her nut if you miss any more Quidditch practices."

After lunch I made my way to Arithmacy with Hermione my mind not really all there. "Emily!" Hermione said breaking me out of my thoughts.

"I'm sorry, did you say something?" I asked shaking my head.

"Okay," Hermione pulled me to the seats in the back of the classroom and practically shoved me into a seat. "You've been acting weird since Saturday night and Harry's going insane wondering what's wrong with you. Tell me what's going on."

I looked around the room sighing, before I turned back to her. "My Dad sent me a howler Saturday afternoon officially disowning me from the Malfoy family."

Her eyes widened in shock. "What? Can they even do that?"

I nodded.

Hermione reached out and patted my hand. "I'm really sorry Emily; no one deserves to be disowned by their parents."

I shrugged, "it's all right, they never really were great parents anyway, but that's what Professor Dumbledore wanted to talk about this morning, where I was going to spend my breaks and stuff like that."

"I didn't even think about that! You can stay with me! We have plenty of room at my house-"

I couldn't believe she was just offering for me to come stay with her. "Hermione, I really appreciate your offer, but we settled it all out."

"Where are you staying then?" Hermione asked.

"With my current legal guardian Snuffles," I replied trying not to laugh at how funny that sounded.

Hermione giggled a little bit to, "really?"

I nodded, "He's the closest relative I have on the good side."

Hermione nodded, "have you told Harry yet?"

I ran a hand through my hair and looked down, "he's got enough to worry about without having to worry about me."

"Emily trust me," she patted me on the arm; "not telling him is worrying him more than telling him is going to. Besides I think he'll be happy that Snuffles is taking care of you and you don't have to go back to your family."

"You're probably right," I said looking away from her for a moment. "I'll tell him tonight."

Hermione smiled at me and we turned our attention back to the teacher.

When we walked into Defense Against the Dark Arts next period, Harry and Ron wasted no time in telling us what happened in their Divination class. I had to admit, Trelawney's an old fraud, but I did feel rather bad for her. Before I could manage to tell Harry what had been bugging me all weekend though, Professor Umbridge called us to order. "Wands away," she instructed us with a smile, and all those who had been hopeful enough to pull their wands out grudgingly put them away. "As we finished chapter one last lesson, I would like you all to return to page nineteen today and commence chapter two, 'Common Defensive Theories and Their Derivation.' There will be no need to talk."

As soon as the words left her lips I continued my tradition of completely ignoring everything in the classroom and playing with Harry's hand under the table. I wonder if there are enough chapters in this book to keep us working until the end of the year. . .

At that moment Harry squeezed my hand tightly and gestured towards Hermione who had her hand in the air again. Umbridge had noticed too, and what was more, she seemed to have worked out a strategy for just such an eventuality. Instead of trying to pretend she had not noticed Hermione, she got to her feet and walked around the front row of desks until they were face-to-face, then she bent down and whispered, so that the rest of the class could not hear, "What is it this time, Miss Granger?"

"I've already read chapter two," said Hermione.

"Well then, proceed to chapter three."

"I've read that too. I've read the whole book."

Wow that girl really did read a lot. Professor Umbridge seemed shocked as well, but she recovered her poise almost immediately. "Well, then, you should be able to tell me what Slinkhard says about counterjinxes in chapter fifteen."

"He says that counterjinxes are improperly named," said Hermione promptly. "He says 'counterjinx' is just a name people give their jinxes when they want to make them sound more acceptable."

I was pretty sure my mouth dropped to the floor, Umbridge raised her eyebrows, and you could tell she was impressed even though she didn't want to be.

"But I disagree," Hermione continued.

Professor Umbridge's eyebrows rose ever higher and her gaze became distinctly colder.

"You disagree?" She repeated.

"Yes, I do," said Hermione, who, unlike Umbridge, was not whispering but speaking in a clear, carrying voice that had by now captured the rest of the class's attention. "Mr. Slinkhard doesn't like jinxes, does he? But I think they can be very useful when they're used defensively."

"Oh, you do, do you?" said Professor Umbridge forgetting to whisper and straightening up. "Well, I'm afraid it is Mr. Slinkhard's opinion, and not yours, that matters within this classroom, Miss Granger."

"But -" Hermione began.

"That is enough," said Professor Umbridge. She walked back to the front of the classroom and turned to us all. "Miss Granger, I'm going to have to take five points from Gryffindor."

"For what?" I said outraged, even though Gryffindor wasn't my house this wasn't fair. "Expressing her opinions? That's ridiculous!"

"Miss Black," she said without looking up from her desk. "Just because you no longer have any parents to teach you correct manners does not give you the right to talk back in this class."

Everyone in the class froze. I couldn't believe she had just said what she had. That was completely below the belt and inappropriate. I immediately wrenched my hands from Harry's and stood up storming out of the room. I didn't even bother to look back as I slammed the door.

I must have spent almost an hour wandering the castle until I finally settled on a familiar spot under the Beech Tree by the Lake. "I brought you some food." Said a voice from behind me as I continued staring out over the water.

"Not hungry," I replied not looking at Harry.

He stood there for a moment staring at me before sitting down beside me, close but not touching. "Why didn't you tell me?" He asked.

I sighed and shot him a quick glance before looking back to the lake with a sigh, "I was going to tonight."

"Is that what you've been so weird about all weekend? Your parents disowned you?"

I nodded.

"I thought that's what you wanted though?"

"It is," I replied.

"Well then why are you so upset?"

"It's a little bit different leaving of your own accord then being told by the people that gave you birth and raised you that you are nothing more than the dung beneath their feet." I picked up a rock beside me and tossed it into the lake as far as I could. "I know you don't like it Harry, but they did raise me, and I will always love them and my brother, no matter how bad they screw up their lives. I just won't let them drag me down with them anymore."

We sat in silence once again until the rock I threw in the lake suddenly came flying back at us and we both had to duck quickly and we ended up bumping heads rather hard. "Remind me not to do that again." I said rubbing my head.

"Will do," Harry replied rubbing his head as well before reaching beside him and handing me a roll. "You need to eat."

I grudgingly took it from his hand before taking a bite.

"Why did Umbridge call you Miss Black?" Harry asked while I chewed.

I swallowed before answering. "Sirius volunteered to be my legal guardian once my parents disowned me."

"So does that mean you get to spend the holidays and everything with him?" He asked.

"Yep," I replied taking another bite, maybe I was a little bit hungrier than I thought.

Harry grinned, "so in other words you get to spend them with me to?"

My eyes widened playfully in horror. "Oh no! I guess so! I better get a hold of Sirius immediately and tell him I can't spend the holidays with him if you're going to be there with him!"

Harry playfully shoved me and we both turned back to watch the Giant Squid floating above the water. "I have detention for the rest of the week again."

"I would have to if I hadn't got up and left."

"I'm kind-of glad you did. I don't want you fighting with her. There's no need for both of us to suffer." He said running his thumb over the scars on his hand.

"I want to suffer as long as you're there." I replied taking his hand from him.

"Please Emily, for me; just try to stay out of her way." Harry asked.

I sighed but nodded.

**A/N: Once again I have a late chapter for you guys, but I am starting a new story and I wanted to work on that for a little bit and will be posting the prologue shortly. It's entitled "Sirius Black Must Die" and it's a Marauder Era story. If you want to check it out, I would be very happy if you read and reviewed it :D! And reading and reviewing this chapter would be greatly appreciated as well. Thank you!**


	9. Can't Back Down

"So, have you considered what Hermione said?" I asked Harry one afternoon as we sat down under the Beech Tree by the lake, a spot that had seemed to become one of our favorites.

"About what?" he asked innocently.

He had been dodging the subject for almost two weeks now ever since she had brought up the idea of Harry teaching a Defense Against the Dark Arts group, and Hermione had been pleading with me for the past week to try and encourage him to do it. Truthfully, I think the girl was a little bit too concerned with her studies. "You know what," I responded closing my potions book.

"Do I?" He said still avoiding my stare.

"Harry, seriously, the game's getting old." I told him taking his book out of his hand.

"What game?" He said simply.

I hit him with the book.

"Ouch! Em, that hurt!" Harry complained, rubbing his head.

"Well, you were being annoying." I replied plainly.

"So you hit me?"

I shrugged.

He muttered something incoherent under his breath before leaning back against the tree with his arms crossed.

"You know Hermione's going to annoy you 'til the end of the earth until you tell her." I told him.

"I know," Harry replied, running a hand through his untidy hair.

"So, the sooner you make a decision, the sooner she'll get off my back and yours." I tried to persuade him.

He didn't reply.

I sighed and leaned back against the tree as well, not talking, just enjoying the sight of the sun reflecting across the water of the Lake.

"I have thought about it you know." He said sliding his hand into mine. "Everyone thinks I'm a nutter though. Who'd want to be taught by me?"

"I think you'd be surprised." I told him. "Even, if everything thinks you're a nutter now, your reputation exceeds you."

"I don't think so," Harry responded, even though he didn't sound as certain.

"How about this," I turned so I was facing him and said, "The first weekend in October is a Hogsmeade weekend, and even though I was hopeing to have you to myself for an entire day, Hermione said, if you'll do it, she'll have everyone who's interested to meet us in the village and we can talk it over."

"Why do we have to do it outside of school?" He asked.

"She said something about not wanting Umbridge to know what we're doing."

Harry didn't respond for a while tracing small circles on the outside of my hand with his thumb. "Have you heard from Sirius lately?" He asked abruptly.

I shook my head, "not since that day in Professor Dumbledore's office. Why?"

"What if he shows up at Hogsmeade like he said?"

I ran a free hand through my hair, "I don't know I just hope a big black dog doesn't bound up to us around Draco."

"So he does know about Sirius being an animagus?" Harry asked.

I nodded, "that fat lump Pettigrew stayed at our house for a little while."

"I hate him." Harry said.

"I would to if he was responsible for putting my Godfather in prison and killing my parents." I said leaning my head against his shoulder.

He seemed almost hesitant to ask another question. "Have you talked to Malfoy since the Howler?"

I didn't answer back.

Hogsmeade weekend came rather quickly. I woke up and pulled my hair into a messy bun and slid into a plaid black and white elbow length button up shirt and some dark skinny jeans. It wasn't long before Hermione knocked on my door (I had showed her my room last week) asking me if I was ready.

We ate a rather quick breakfast and hurried over to Filch so we could get our names marked off the list. When Harry reached him, the caretaker gave a great sniff as though trying to detect a whiff of something from Harry. Then he gave a curt nod that set his jowls aquiver again and harry walked on out onto the stone steps and the cold, sunlit day. "Um, what was that?" I asked Harry as he slipped his hand into mine.

"Oh did I not tell you? A couple of days ago I was sending a letter to Sirius and he came in demanding to see my letter someone apparently tipped him off that I was ordering Dungbombs."

Hermione seemed to find this story highly interesting. "Did he say who tipped him off?" She asked.

Harry shook his head. "I dunno, maybe Malfoy, he'd think it was a laugh."

Hermione continued to consider what Harry had said, "Malfoy?" said Hermione, very skeptically. "Well . . . yes . . . maybe . . ."

"Where are we going anyway?" I asked as the cold started to hit me and I shivered.

"I've told the others to meet us at in the Hog's Head, that other pub, you know the one, it's not on the main road. I think it's a bit . . . you know . . . _dodgy _. . . but students don't normally go in there, so I don't think we'll be overhead." Hermione answered.

We walked down the main street past Zonko's Joke Shop, where they were unsurprised to see Fred, George, and Lee Jordan, past the post office, from which owls issued at regular intervals, and turned up a Side Street at the top of which stood a small inn. A battered wooden sign hung from a rusty bracket over the door, with a picture upon it of a wild boar's severed head leaking blood onto the white cloth around it. The sign creaked in the wind as they approached. All three of us hesitated outside the door.

"Hermione, are you sure this is a good idea?" I asked looking at the building in slight revulsion.

Hermione didn't answer my question just told us to come in.

If I was appalled just looking at the outside of the Hog's Head the inside made me even more sickened by the inside. I grew up in a very clean house where we never had to do any cleaning work. Call me spoiled, and I guess I am, but this place was just so filthy.

"I don't know about this, Hermione," Harry muttered, echoing my thoughts looking at a veiled witch. "Has it occurred to you Umbridge might be under that?"

Hermione cast an appraising eye at the veiled figure. "Umbridge is shorter than that woman," she said quietly. "And anyway, even if Umbridge _does_ come in here there's nothing she can do to stop us, Harry, because I've double- and triple-checked the school rules. We're not out-of-bounds; I specifically asked Professor Flitwick whether students were allowed to come in the Hog's Head, and he said yes, but he advised me strongly to bring our own glasses. And I've looked up everything I can think of about study groups and homework groups and they're definitely allowed. I just don't think it's a good idea if we _parade _what we're doing."

"No," said Harry dryly, "especially as it's not exactly a homework group you're planning is it?"

The barman came towards us out of the backroom he had a long gray beard and was tall and skinny. "What?" he grunted.

"Four butterbeers, please," said Hermione.

"Actually make that three, I'll pass." There was no way on this earth that I was ingesting something from this place.

"Six Sickles," he said.

"I'll get them," said Harry quickly, passing over the silver.

We quickly retreated to a table as far away from the bar as possible and after taking one quick look at the chair; I slid off my jacket and put it on the seat. "What?" I asked Harry as he gave me an odd look.

"OCD much?" he teased.

I glared at him and placed my hands in my lap. "Have you looked around? Do you blame me?"

"You know what?" Ron interrupted, looking over at the bar with enthusiasm. "We could order anything we liked in here. I bet that bloke would sell us anything, he wouldn't care. I've always wanted to try firewhiskey -"

"You – are – a – _prefect,_" snarled Hermione.

"Oh," said Ron, the smile fading from his face. "Yeah . . ."

"Don't worry, Ron, you're not missing out on much. It burns a little bit too much for my taste." I said watching for signs of life outside.

"You've had firewhiskey!" Hermione said in utter shock.

"Had to have something to get through all those Malfoy parties didn't I?" I said without a hint of remorse.

"So who did you say is supposed to be meeting us?" Harry asked, trying to change the subject I'm sure before Hermione started telling me off.

"Just a couple of people," Hermione said, checking her watch and then looking anxiously toward the door. "I told them to be here about now and I'm sure they all know where it is – oh look, this might be them now -"

The door of the pub had opened and first came Neville with Dean and Lavender, who were closely followed by Parvati and Padma Patil with – " Urgh! Hermione, seriously? Her?" I hissed furiously in her ear as Cho Chang and one of her annoying friends walked in.

Hermione shrugged.

I leaned back against the edge of my chair with my arms crossed watching Luna, a couple of girls from the Gryffindor Quidditch team some more Gryffindors, Ernie Macmillan, Justin Finch Fletchy, Hannah Abbot, another Hufflepuff girl, three Ravenclaw boys, Ginny and another boy from Hufflepuff and finally Fred, George and Lee Jordan.

"A couple of people?" Harry said hoarsely to Hermione. "A _couple of people?_"

"Yes, well, the idea seemed quite popular," said Hermione happily. "Ron, do you want to pull up some more chairs?"

I leaned back against my chair with my arms crossed and lifted my feet on top of the table. "You know, your fan club is quite annoying." I told Harry.

"My fan club?" he said with raised eyebrows.

"Cho and Ginny," I said simply.

Harry almost spit out his butterbeer on Neville who had just sat down across from us. "What?"

I didn't get a chance to respond however as the people started to settle down and Hermione started speaking nervously.

"Well – er – hi."

The group focused its attention on her instead, though eyes continued to dart back regularly to Harry.

"Well . . . erm . . . well, you know why you're here. Erm . . . well, Harry here had the idea – I mean" – Harry had thrown her a sharp look – "I had the idea – that it might be good if people who wanted to study Defense Against the Dark Arts – and I mean, really study it, you know, not the rubbish that Umbridge is doing with us" – (Hermione's voice became suddenly much stronger and more confident) – "because nobody could call that Defense Against the Dark Arts" – "Hear, hear," said Anthony Goldstein, and Hermione looked heartened – "well, I thought it would be a good if we, well, took matters into our own hands."

She paused, looked sideways at Harry, and went on, "And by that I mean learning how to defend ourselves properly, not just theory but the real spells -"

"You want to pass your Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. too though, I bet?" said some Ravenclaw, watching her closely.

"Of course, I do," said Hermione at once. "But I want more than that. I want to be properly trained in Defense because . . . because . . ." She took a great breath and finished. "Because Lord Voldemort's back."

The reaction was immediate and predictable. The Ravenclaw Cho brought with her shrieked and slopped butterbeer down herself, another guy twitched violently, one of the Patil twins shuddered and Neville gave an odd yelp that he managed to turn into a cough. All of them, however, looked fixedly, even eagerly, at Harry.

Seriously? I guess we should have figured out that the only reason most of the people where here was to see if Harry would talk about that night.

"Well . . . that's the plan anyway," said Hermione. "If you want to join us, we need to decide how we're going to -"

"Where's the proof You-Know-Who's back?" said a blond Hufflepuff.

"Oh, I don't know," I said sarcastically. "Do you read this thing called a _newspaper?"_

"Yeah, I do, and it says him and Dumbledore's gone mad." He responded.

"Not that stuff, those little things you barely pay attention to. The occasional disappearances, the unusual behaviors of certain people, do you think those are all just coincidences?" I told him.

"Why not?" he responded, really making me question the idiocy of Hufflepuffs.

"Who are _you_?" said Ron rather rudely.

"Zacharias Smith," said the boy, "and I think we've got the right to know exactly what makes _him_ say You-Know-Who's back."

"Look," said Hermione, intervening swiftly, "that's really not what this meeting was supposed to be about -"

"It's okay, Hermione," said Harry.

Uh-oh, here goes his temper again.

"What makes me say You-Know-Who's back?" he repeated, looking Zacharias straight in the face. "I saw him. But Dumbledore told the whole school what happened last year, and if you didn't believe him, you don't believe me, and I'm not wasting an afternoon trying to convince anyone."

Zacharias said dismissively, "All Dumbledore told us last year was that Cedric Diggory got killed by You-Know-Who and that you brought Diggory's body back to Hogwarts. He didn't give us details, he didn't tell us exactly how Diggory got murdered, and I think we'd all like to know -"

"Do you want to know what it feels like to get murdered Smith, because I'm about to show you if you don't stop being an ass." I told him twirling my wand around my fingers threatengly.

"I don't want to talk about Cedric Diggory, all right? So if that's what you're here for, you might as well clear out." Harry said heatedly.

No one moved.

"So," said Hermione, her voice very high-pitched. "So . . . like I was saying . . . if you want to learn some defense, then we need to work out how we're going to do it, how often we're going to meet, and where we're going to -"

"Is it true," interrupted a girl with a long plait down her back, looking at Harry, "that you can produce a Patronus?"

There was a murmur of interest around the group at this.

"Yeah," said Harry slightly defensively.

"A corporeal Patronus?"

"Er – you don't know Madam Bones do you?" he asked.

The girl smiled. "She's my auntie," she said. "I'm Susan Bones. She told me about your hearing. So – is it really true? You make a stag Patronus?"

"Yes," said Harry.

"Blimey Harry!" said Lee Jordan, looking deeply impressed. "I never knew that!"

The rest of the meeting consisted of Harry being modest and Hermione trying to plan on where we were going to have to meet. I zoned out. Hermione had us all sign a list which I figured she had jinxed in some way, and then finally, we were free to go.

"Well, I think that went quite well," said Hermione happily as we walked out of the Hog's Head into the bright sunlight a few moments later.

"That Zacharias bloke's a wart," said Ron.

"I don't like him much either," admitted Hermione, "but he overheard me talking to Ernie and Hannah at the Hufflepuff table and he seemed really interested in coming, so what could I say? But the more people the better really – I mean, Michael Corner and his friends wouldn't have come if he hadn't been going out with Ginny -"

Ron, who had been drinking his last bit of butterbeer, gagged and spit butterbeer down his front.

I slid my hand into Harry's and leaned against his shoulder, suddenly tired.

"You all right?" Harry whispered in my ear.

I nodded, "just drained."

"Hey, we're going to see you guys back at the castle all right?" Harry said wrapping an arm around me.

Ron started to say something, but Hermione grabbed his arm and dragged him away.

Harry lead me to our favorite location by the shrieking shack and sat down pulling me into his lap.

We sat like that for a few moments, me leaning against his head while his head rested on top of my shoulder. "Do you ever wish we could just be normal?" I asked him.

"All the time," he responded.

**A/N: Okay I can never thank you guys enough for reviewing this story and favoriting this story and adding it to your alert lists, but NINE reviews! You guys are awesome! Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, but now I'm going to be expecting that many every chapter . . . :D**


	10. Decode

I had to admit, I liked this idea of a Defense group more and more the happier Harry's mood got. For the rest of the weekend he was joking around and in high spirits. It was a little odd, but nice to witness since the Harry I know is usually brooding and gloomy.

Everything changed Monday morning though when Education Decree number twenty-four was posted everywhere disbanding all organizations, societies, teams, groups or clubs. Then, unfortunately, his mood was back. I was waiting outside the Gryffindor Common Room to meet them when two girls came out giggling. "Oh, I bet he was going to see Hermione Granger."

"I can't believe he didn't know the stairs would do that. You would think since they're so close, he would have tried to see her before."

At that the two let out a bunch of loud giggles.

A few moments later the Portrait door opened again and Hermione, Harry and Ron came out looking slightly disheveled. "Have a nice fall, Ron?" I teased as Harry wrapped an arm around me.

"Shut-up," he mumbled under his breath as Hermione giggled.

"So, I assume you all saw this?" I said pointing to a poster of the Educational Decree on the wall.

They all nodded.

"Do you have any idea how she could have found out? Because I would love for it to be Zacharias Smith so I could give him a piece of my mind." I said.

"Trust me, if it was someone who signed that paper, we'll know, and they will regret it." Hermione said rather violently.

Whew. I was glad I had never really gotten on her bad side.

As soon as we sat down at the Gryffindor table, Neville, Dean, Fred, George and Ginny descended upon us.

"Did you see it?"

"D'you reckon she knows?"

"What are we going to do?"

They were all looking at Harry. He glanced around to make sure there were no teachers near them.

"We're going to do it anyway, of course," he said quietly.

"Knew you'd say that," said George, beaming and thumping Harry on the arm.

"The prefects as well?" said Fred, looking quizzically at Ron, Hermione and myself.

"Of course," said Hermione coolly.

"Please, anything to get me out of this stupid badge, I'll be happy to do." I said breaking my toast into little pieces.

"Here comes Ernie and Hannah Abbott," said Ron, looking over his shoulder. "_And _those Ravenclaw blokes and Smith . . . and no one looks very spotty."

Hermione looked alarmed.

"Never mind spots, the idiots can't come over here now, it'll look really suspicious – sit down!" she mouthed to Ernie and Hannah, gesturing frantically to them to rejoin the Hufflepuff table. "Later! We'll – talk – to – you – _later_!"

"I'll tell Michael," said Ginny impatiently, swinging herself off her bench. "The fool, honestly . . ."

_To be dating you he must be. _I thought as she hurried off toward the Ravenclaw table.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were later than usual outside Potions and I was starting to worry that something had happened with Umbridge or something. I was just about ready to skip class to go find them when they came downstairs with worried faces. "What's going on?" I asked Harry, worried as I took in his face.

"Hedwig got hurt delivering this." He replied handing me a note that said,

_Today, same time, same place._

"Snuffles?"

Harry nodded.

I sighed and handed the letter back to him, running a hand through my hair.

"Yeah, Umbridge gave the Slytherin Quidditch team permission to continue playing straightaway, I went to ask her first thing this morning. Well, it was pretty much automatic, I mean, she knows my father really well, he's always popping in and out of the Ministry . . . It'll be interesting to see whether the Gryffindor are allowed to keep playing, won't it?"

I swear I'm going to end up punching him. He had _never _acted so pompous and bigheaded around me.

"Don't rise," Hermione whispered imploringly to Harry and Ron, who were both watching Malfoy, faces set and fists clenched. "It's what he wants. . . ."

"I mean," said Draco, raising his voice a little more, his gray eyes glittering malevolently in Harry and Ron's direction, "if it's a question of influence with the Ministry, I don't think they've got much chance. . . . From what my father says, they've been looking for an excuse to sack Arthur Weasley for years. . . . And as for Potter . . . My father says it's a matter of time before the Ministry has him carted off to St. Mungo's. . . . Apparently they've got a special ward for people whose brains have been addled by magic. . . ."

My wand was out faster than I could think and the spell escaped my lips before anyone could stop me. Suddenly Draco was on the floor covered head to toe in excruciating boils.

"What is going on here!" The dungeon door opened and Snape came out. "Fighting, Potter, Weasley, Longbottom?" He said in his cold, sneering voice, "Ten points from Gryffindor. Release Longbottom, Potter, or it will be detention. Inside, all of you." His gaze then swept over the rest of the line and stopped on Draco on the floor whimpering in pain to my wand pointing at him.

"Ms. Black, what did you do to Mr. Malfoy?"

I shoved my wand back into my robes. "Well, obviously, I put a curse on him because he was acting like a complete and utter asshole with his wand stuck up his rear. I'll just march myself straight up to Professor Dumbledore's office, shall I?"

I didn't even wait to see his response before turning on my heel and leaving the hallway being careful to shove into Pansy Parkinson's shoulder as I passed.

"You know Ms. Black, I must say I have seen you in the office quite more than I wished to this year." Professor Dumbledore said as I sat down across from him.

I sighed, "I know Professor, but I'm not sorry about what I did."

He glanced at me over his half moon spectacles. "I didn't think you would be Ms. Black, but this behavior cannot continue. It is unacceptable for a Prefect."

"To be perfectly honest Professor, I don't really want to _be_ a Prefect."

Professor Dumbledore sighed, "Emily, I know your house is not as . . . accepting of you as they once were, but I stand by my decision. You are the best person for the job, and you will conduct yourself such as that person. You will have detention for the rest of the week with Mr. Filch."

I looked down, feeling exceptionally guilty. "Yes, Professor."

"Met him in the Entrance Hall after dinner, and he will inform you of your job."

I nodded understanding I was dismissed.

I stepped into the Gryffindor Common Room around eleven o'clock cradling my sore arm. "Stupid Filch, stupid trophies, stupid polish, stupid Malfoy." I dropped my bag beside Hermione's arm chair and sat down next to Harry resting my head in his lap.

"Hard night?" He asked running his fingers through my hair soothingly.

"I swear if I never see another trophy again, it'll be too soon." I mumbled, closing my eyes. Harry's fingers running through my hair was surprisingly comforting and eased me in and out of consciousness until Ron said, "Sirius!"

"Hi," he said, grinning.

"Hey Sirius," I replied, not moving my head from Harry's lap. He was really comfortable.

"You two look comfy," Sirius teased.

"I am thank you very much." I said closing my eyes.

Sirius must have looked confused because Harry said, "she had detention with Filch tonight."

"Nice, what'd you do?" Sirius asked.

"Covered Draco with some rather painful boils that he won't be able to get rid of for a week." I responded still not opening my eyes.

Sirius laughed for a few moments before asking. "Well, other than Emily getting detention, how're things?"

"Not that good," said Harry, "the Ministry's forced through another decree, which means we're not allowed to have Quidditch teams -"

" – or secret Defense Against the Dark Arts groups?" said Sirius.

There was a short pause, and my eyes flittered open in shock.

"How did you know about that?" Harry demanded.

"You want to choose your meeting places more carefully," said Sirius, grinning still more broadly. "The Hog's Head, I ask you . . ."

"Well, it was better than the Three Broomsticks!" said Hermione defensively. "That's always packed with people -"

" – which means you'd have been harder to overhear," said Sirius. "You've got a lot to learn, Hermione."

"Who overheard us?" Harry demanded.

"Mundungus, of course," said Sirius, and when we all looked puzzled he laughed. "He was the witch under the veil."

"That was Mundungus?" Harry said, stunned. "What was he doing in the Hog's Head?"

"What do you think he was doing?" said Sirius impatiently. "Keeping an eye on you of course."

"I'm still being followed?" asked Harry angrily.

I placed my hand on his leg giving it a slight squeeze to calm him down.

"Yeah, you are," said Sirius, "and just as well, isn't it, if the first thing you're going to do on your weekend off is organize an illegal defense group."

He didn't look angry or worried; on the contrary, he was looking at us with distinct pride.

"Why was Dung hiding from us?" asked Ron, sounding disappointed. "We'd've liked to've seen him."

"He was banned from the Hog's Head twenty years ago," said Sirius, "and that barman's got a long memory. We lost Moody's spare Invisibility Cloak when Sturgis was arrested, so Dung's been dressing as a witch a lot lately. . . . Anyway . . . First of all, Ron – I've been sworn to pass on a message from your mother."

"Oh yeah?" said Ron, sounding apprehensive.

"She says on no account whatsoever are you to take part in an illegal secret Defense Against the Dark Arts group. She says you'll be expelled for sure and your future will be ruined. She says there will be plenty of time to learn how to defend yourself later and that you are too young to be worrying about that right now. She also" – Sirius's eyes turned to Hermione, Harry and I – "advises Harry, Emily and Hermione not to proceed with the group, though she accepts that she has no authority over any of you and simply begs them to remember that she has their best interests at heart. She would have written all this to you, but if the owl had been intercepted you'd all have been in real trouble, and she can't say it for herself because she's on duty tonight."

"On duty doing what?" said Ron quickly.

"Never you mind, just stuff for the Order," said Sirius. "So it's fallen to me to be the messenger and make sure you tell her I passed it all on, because I don't think she trusts me to."

There was another pause and Crookshanks, mewing, attempted to paw Sirius's head, and Ron fiddled with a hole in the hearthrug while Harry's fingers once again began threading through my hair.

"So you want me to say I'm not going to take part in the defense group?" Harry muttered finally.

"Me? Certainly not!" said Sirius, looking surprised. "I think it's an excellent idea!"

"You do?" I asked in disbelief.

"Of course I do!" said Sirius. "D'you think your father and I would've just lain down and taken orders from an old hag like Umbridge?"

"But – last term all you did was tell me to be careful and not take risks -"

"Last year all the evidence was that someone inside Hogwarts was trying to kill you, Harry!" said Sirius impatiently. "This year we know that there's someone outside Hogwarts who'd like to kill us all, so I think learning to defend yourselves properly is a very good idea!"

"And if we get expelled?" Hermione asked, a quizzical look on her face.

"Hermione, this whole thing was your idea!" said Harry, staring at her.

"I know it was. . . . I just wondered what Sirius thought," she said, shrugging.

"Well, better expelled and able to defend yourselves than sitting safely in school without a clue," said Sirius.

"Hear, hear," said Harry and Ron enthusiastically.

I rolled my eyes, _boys._

"So," said Sirius, "how are you organizing this group? Where are you meeting?"

"Well, that's a bit of a problem now," said Harry. "Dunno where we're going to be able to go. . . ."

"How about the Shrieking Shack?" suggested Sirius.

"Hey, that's an idea!" said Ron excitedly, but Hermione made a skeptical noise and all of us looked at her, Sirius's head turning in the flames.

"Well, Sirius, it's just that there were only four of you meeting in the Shrieking Shack when you were at school," said Hermione, "and all of you could transform into animals and I suppose you could all have squeezed under a single Invisibility Cloak if you'd wanted to. But there are twenty-nine of us and none of us is an Animagus, so we wouldn't need so much an Invisibility Cloak as an Invisibility Marquee -"

"Fair point," said Sirius, looking slightly crestfallen. "Well, I'm sure you'll come up with somewhere. . . . There used to be a pretty roomy secret passageway behind that big mirror on the fourth floor, you might have enough space to practice jinxes in there -"

"Fred and George told me it's blocked," said Harry, shaking his head. "Caved in or something."

"Oh . . ." said Sirius, frowning. "Well, I'll have a think and get back to -"

He broke off. His face was suddenly tense, alarmed. He turned sideways, apparently looking into the solid brick wall of the fireplace.

Something was definitely wrong. I sat up and slid a little closer to the fireplace.

"Sirius?" said Harry anxiously.

But he had vanished. Harry gaped at the flames for a moment, then turned to look at us.

"Why did he - ?"

Hermione gave a horrified gasp and leapt to her feet, still staring at the fire.

A hand had appeared amongst the flames, groping as though to catch hold of something; a stubbly, short-fingered hand covered in ugly old-fashioned rings. . . .

Harry grabbed my hand, yanking me to my feet and we all ran for it. At the door of the boys' dormitory Harry and I looked back. Umbridge's hand was still making snatching movements amongst the flames, as though she knew exactly where Sirius's hair had been moments before and was determined to seize it.

**A/N: Thank you to the two who reviewed the last chapter I really appreciated it and hope you enjoy this new chapter. R&R please!**


	11. Animal

"I mean really, would Angelina be so mad if you missed another Quidditch practice?" I asked Harry in-between kisses. "I mean, look at this weather," my room now had a view of the grounds where a storm was raging. "You guys aren't going to be able to get much done."

"Angelina would kill me." Harry said, cutting off my protests with a fierce kiss. "And I really have to go." He sat up, but I pulled him back down by his tie cutting him off with my own passionate kiss. "Five more minutes," I said pulling away, slightly breathless.

He nodded, "five more minutes." He mumbled, pressing his lips against mine eagerly.

Five more minutes quickly turned into fifteen minutes and then that turned into practice starting in ten minutes, and Harry having to run all the way to the pitch to get changed.

I decided to get to work on my Potions homework, but after about ten minutes my mind was exhausted and I dozed off.

_"You know Potter; it's not that hard to ask someone. I'm sure anyone would be happy to go with the Boy-Who-Lived." I teased him._

_ "Yeah, well, the one girl I want to go with won't go with me." He said looking at anywhere but me._

_ I ran a hand through my hair. "Who? Cho Chang?" _

_ He grabbed my arm and turned me to face him. "You know perfectly well who I want to ask."He said._

_ I sighed and pulled my arm out of his grip. "Harry, you know there is no way we can go to the ball together." _

_ "No, actually I don't know that."_

_ "My brother would kill you. I mean literally kill you, right in the middle of the Great Hall with everyone watching." _

_ He scoffed. "Malfoy's too big of a chicken to do something in front of everyone." _

_ "I think you underestimate him." I said._

_ "Why don't you just go with some Gryffindor girl?" I asked him. "Like that one with the twin in Ravenclaw?"_

_ "Parvati?" he asked. _

_ "Yeah, go with her, I'm sure she'll be fun." I said._

_ Harry just shook his head._

_I didn't think I would be so upset when I saw Harry dancing with Parvati Patil. I mean, I was the one who told him to go with her. I shouldn't be so angry. I left Zabini after one dance completely furious._

"What are you dreaming about?" A voice in my ear said.

I jumped and smacked Harry. "You scared me to death!"

He grinned and wrapped his arms around me from behind kissing my cheek, "sorry."

"You're soaking wet," I said pulling his arms off of me. "Go sit by the fire and warm up." I told him.

"So demanding," he muttered under his breath, but did what I said.

"Did you bring your homework with you? I can help you with your Potions essay."

"That was definitely not what I had in mind." He said with a mischievous grin.

I rolled my eyes at him and sat down next to him reaching over him to grab his bag that he had hidden behind him. "If you get behind on homework again, you won't get any of 'what you had in mind'." I told him shoving his backpack into his hands.

He sighed and began pulling out his books.

Apparently, working on a Potions essay was more boring than I thought, because it wasn't long before we were both dozing.

I woke up before him because he kept mumbling things in his sleep like, "just a little further," and "almost there." I looked at him curiously; my head in his lap, and noticed his face was frustrated even in sleep.

I was about to wake him up when there was a large crack, and I jumped, accidently waking him.

"Wassa going on?" Harry muttered, sitting upright and looking around until his eyes settled on something. "Dobby?"

"Harry Potter, sir! Dobby thought Harry Potter must be with Ms. Black when he wasn't in Gryffindor Tower. Dobby has your owl sir!"

I looked where he was looking and sure enough there was Dobby standing beside a table, his ears sticking out from beneath what looked like all the knitted hats Hermione made; he was wearing one on top of the other, and on the very topmost bobble sat Hedwig, hooting serenely and obviously cured.

"Dobby volunteered to return Harry Potter's owl!" said the elf squeakily, with a look of positive adoration on his face that made me really want to giggle. "Professor Grubbly-Plank says she is all well now, sir!"

He sank into a deep bow so that his pencil-like nose brushed the threadbare surface of the hearthrug, and Hedwig gave an indignant hoot and fluttered onto Harry's shoulder.

"Thanks Dobby!" said Harry, stroking Hedwig's head and blinking hard as if trying to get an image out of his head. "Er . . . have you been taking _all _the clothes Hermione's been leaving out?"

"Oh no, sir," said Dobby happily, "Dobby has been taking some for Winky too, sir."

"Yeah, how is Winky?" asked Harry.

Dobby's ears drooped slightly.

"Winky is still drinking lots, sir," he said sadly, his enormous round green eyes, large as tennis balls, downcast. "She still does not care for clothes, Harry Potter. Nor do the other house-elves. None of them will clean Gryffindor Tower anymore, not with the hats and socks hidden everywhere, they finds them insulting, sir. Dobby does it all himself, sir, but Dobby does not mind, sir, for he always hopes to meet Harry Potter and tonight, sir, he has got his wish!" Dobby sank into a deep bow again. "But Harry Potter does not seem happy," Dobby went on straightening up again and looking timidly at Harry. "Dobby heard him muttering in his sleep. Was Harry Potter having bad dreams?"

"Not really bad," said Harry, yawning and rubbing his eyes. "I've had worse."

I sat up and wrapped his arm around my shoulder twisting my fingers through his and leaning my head against his shoulder.

He sent me a small smile and kissed my cheek quickly before turning back to Dobby who was smiling at us slightly observing us with his vast orblike eyes. "Dobby wishes he could help Harry Potter, for Harry Potter set Dobby free and Dobby is much, much happier now. . . ."

Harry smiled, "You can't help me, Dobby, but thanks for the offer. . . ." He bent down beside him and picked up his Potions book which he closed before stopping for a moment. "Wait a moment – there _is _something you can do for me, Dobby," said Harry slowly.

The elf looked around, beaming. "Name it, Harry Potter, sir!"

"I need to find a place where twenty-nine people can practice Defense Against the Dark Arts without being discovered by any of the teachers. Especially," Harry clenched his hand on the book, and his scars shone pearly white, "Professor Umbridge."

Dobby looked confused. "But why doesn't Harry Potter just use this room, sir?"

Harry looked at me in surprise, and I looked at Dobby with the same expression. "You mean you could use this room?" I said in disbelief.

"Of course Miss, this room will transform into anything needed by the seeker." Dobby answered.

Harry and I grinned at each other.

"So we're going to have a Defense meeting all ready?" I asked as Angelina walked away at lunch after telling Harry that Quidditch practice was cancelled.

"Yes, we're not going to have a lot of time with trying to schedule around three Quidditch team practices so we have to take whatever chance we can get." Hermione answered.

I nodded, sighing under my breath. I had a feeling this Defense Group was really going to screw up my schedule with my boyfriend, and it was all ready stretched enough as it is.

Since I got out of class a little bit earlier then Ron, Hermione and Harry I decided to go ahead and start preparing my room for the meeting, well until a hand grabbed my arm and pulled me into a cupboard. I started to scream and grab for my wand, but a voice stopped me. "Shhh! It's just me!"

"Draco!" I said when he removed his hand. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Trying to get you away from your 'boyfriend'." He said, saying the word like it was dragon dung in his mouth. "I mean honestly do you two ever stay away from each other?"

"What do you care?" I practically yelled at him.

"Because I'm your brother!" He said.

"No! You're not! I'm disowned now remember! I'm a Black!" I replied.

"Yeah! You took Mom's maiden name. That really makes you not a Malfoy." Draco said sarcastically.

"I did not take the name Black for Mom." I said fiercely.

"Well then who did you -" Realization dawned on him, and he scowled even more deeply. "Him? That murdering dog? That's who's taking care of you now?"

"He's a good man Draco, and you know just as well as I do, he's not a murderer." I hissed.

"Either way, he's a felon, and he can't take care of you!"

I shook my head, "I'm out of here." I said, and before he could stop me I opened the door and stormed out.

"What have you done with my sister?" I heard him say as I slammed the door.

"Em, are you okay?" Harry said as I came upon the Room of Requirement.

"I don't want to talk about it." I said quickly stepping inside of the room and throwing my bag onto the couch rather viciously before shutting the door and stepping back outside. "Well you know how it works." I said to them leaning against the wall with my arms crossed.

Ron gave me a sharp look while Harry and Hermione looked concerned, but they started walking past the door anyway.

After the third time I stopped them and they all walked in not bothering to see if I was following them.

"Emily, er – aren't you going in?"

I was brought out of my thoughts by a timid voice.

I sighed and leaned away from Neville sending him a small smile. "I guess so Neville." I said before following him inside. I took one look inside and after noticing Ginny holding Harry in conversation. I collapsed into a cushion next to Hermione with my arms crossed.

"You want to talk about what's got you in such a lovely mood?" She said without looking up from her book.

"Not particularly," I answered swiftly.

She just nodded.

"Well," said Harry after locking the door, sounding nervous. "This is the place we've found for practices, and you've – er – obviously found it okay -"

"It's fantastic!" said Cho, and several people murmured their agreement.

I was too upset to even say something sarcastic to her.

"It's bizarre," said Fred, frowning around at it. "We once hid from Filch in here, remember George? But it was just a broom cupboard then. . . ."

Now why didn't that surprise me?

"Hey, Harry, what's this stuff?" asked Dean from the rear of the room, indicating the Sneakoscopes and the Foe-Glass.

"Dark Detectors," said Harry, stepping between the cushions to reach them. "Basically they all show when Dark Wizards or enemies are around, but you don't want to rely on them too much, they can be fooled. . . ."

He gazed for a moment into the cracked Foe-Glass, and I knew he was thinking back to last year.

He turned his back on it. "Well, I've been thinking about the sort of stuff we ought to do first and – er -" He noticed a raised hand. "What, Hermione?"

"I think we ought to elect a leader," said Hermione.

"Harry's leader," said Cho at once, looking at Hermione as though she were mad.

I rolled my eyes not missing the look Harry gave me when I did.

"Yes, but I think we ought to vote on it properly," said Hermione, unperturbed. "It makes it formal and it gives him authority. "So – everyone who thinks Harry ought to be our leader?"

Everybody put up their hands, even Zacharias Smith, though he did it very halfheartedly.

"Er – right, thanks," said Harry, whose face was burning a very unattractive red which, even though I was in a terrible mood, caused me to bury my face in my arms to hide my giggles, "And – _what _Hermione?"

"I also think we ought to have a name," she said brightly, her hand still in the air. "It would promote a feeling of team spirit and unity, don't you think?"

"Can we be the Anti-Umbridge League?" said Angelina hopefully.

"What about The-Ministry-Can-Kiss-Our-Asses Association?" I said with fake cheerfulness.

"We like Emily's suggestion." Fred said with a grin.

"I was thinking," said Hermione with a frown at Fred and myself, "more of a name that didn't tell everyone what we were up to, so we can refer to it safely outside meetings."

"The Defense Association?" said Cho, "The D.A. for short, so nobody knows what we're talking about?"

"Yeah, the D.A.'s good," said Ginny. "Only let's make it stand for Dumbledore's Army because that's the Ministry's worst fear isn't it?"

"All in favor of the D.A.?" said Hermione bossily, kneeling up on her cushion to count. "That's a majority – motion passed!"

"Right," said Harry, when she had sat down again, "shall we get practicing then? I was thinking, the first thing we should do is _Expelliarmus, _you know the Disarming Charm. I know it's pretty basic but I've found it really useful -"

"Oh _please,_" said Zacharias Smith, rolling his eyes and folding his arms. "I don't think _Expelliarmus _is exactly going to help us against You-Know-Who, do you?"

"I've used it against him," said Harry quietly. "It saved my life last June."

Smith opened his mouth stupidly. The rest of the room was very quiet.

"But if you think it's beneath you, you can leave," Harry said.

Smith did not move. Nor did anybody else.

"Okay," said Harry, "I reckon we should all divide into pairs and practice."

_Oh crap, I should have realized this would happen. _I thought to myself as Hermione and Ron paired up. "Emily? Do you want to be my partner?"

I smiled at him and stood up. "Sure Neville," I said.

"Okay on the count of three, then – one, two, three -"

The room was filled with "_Expelliarmus!"_ I was too quick for Neville and his wand went spinning out of his head and landing on top of a bookshelf which I retrieved with a Summoning Charm. I felt eyes watching me and turned to find Harry's probing gaze.

The rest of the evening went by quickly, and Neville was actually not that bad to talk to. He even managed to disarm me a couple of times. But my mood had not improved by the time the evening ended, especially with Cho's little "you made me nervous!" stunt. If Hermione hadn't been watching, Cho would have gotten a nice unibrow.

I was kind-of ready for everyone to get out of my room though by the time nine o'clock rolled around and fortunately Harry let them all out quickly. "No, you guys go ahead; I'm going to stay here for a while." I heard Harry tell Ron and Hermione once my room was back to normal.

I sat down in front of the fireplace reaching into my book bag and grabbing the book I was currently reading, _Seeing Red._ I felt Harry sit down next to me, but didn't say anything. "You know I'm getting really sick of you not talking to me when something's obviously wrong."

"Well, I'm getting sick of your fan club flirting with you every moment I'm not around." I replied, not looking up from my bag.

Harry stood up then. "I'm not going to talk to you when you're being like this. Let me know when you're ready to get off your high horse and stop acting like your brother."

He left.

I threw my book down and climbed into my bed not bothering to change out of my robes before dousing the fire and climbing into bed where it was safe for tears to fall.

**A/N: So I'm thinking about posting a one-shot about the Yule Ball if enough people would be interested. **

**R&R Please?**


	12. Misery

Harry and I were still fighting the day of the first Quidditch game, Slytherin vs. Gryffindor.

I was utterly miserable, but my stupid pride made me too embarrassed to walk over to him and just apologize. I ate in the kitchens and the only person I talked to was Hermione who had forgiven me for my bad mood rather quickly. This particular day I was heading to breakfast when I was knocked to the ground. "Quick get her wand."

Before I could pick myself off the floor Millicent Bulstrode had me pinned to the ground, my wand in her hand. "Well, it looks like I'm finally got you alone, Emily." Pansy Parkinson said, grinning down at me.

I didn't even bother trying to do anything. "What do you want Parkinson?"

Parkinson bent down and pressed her wand against my throat. "Did I say you could talk Black?"

I glared at her.

"You know, the rest of us are getting really sick of you walking around here like you own the place with your foolish boyfriend -"

"Harry is not foolish." I practically spat at her.

She slapped me across the face, "Shut-up."

I didn't respond, just glared at her more fiercely.

She grinned even wider. "Do you know how long I've wanted to do that to you? How long I've wanted to slap that stupid smirk off your face, but I couldn't because of your brother? And now," she looked around playfully. "Looks like no one's here to save you Black."

"You can't do anything to hurt me Parkinson. Only two people can and you are not one of them, so shove it back up your ass and do whatever you want, because _it doesn't matter._" And with those words, I spit in her face.

She looked like she was about to murder me when she raised her wand, but she never got to do anything more than that. There was a flash of light and she and Millicent were both on the floor with a body-bind hex on them.

I looked up, and to my surprise, and happiness, there was Harry with Ron flanking him. "What the hell were you thinking?" Harry said, lifting me onto my feet and into his arms, checking for injuries.

"Bitch jumped me as I was coming around the corner." I said glaring down at her. "Bulstrode took my wand." I reached down and pulled it out of her hands.

"Are you all right?" Harry asked gently tracing over the handprint on my face.

"I'm fine," I said smiling at him sadly while Ron looked away awkwardly. "But Miss. Parkinson seems to have forgotten the fact that I am a school Prefect, and she just lost Slytherin 30 house points and once I get through talking with Professor Snape, she will also have about a month's worth of detention along with Miss. Bulstrode. I turned back to Harry, "Don't you think that's fair?" I said.

"Honestly, I think she deserves a bit more." Harry said looking murderous.

"Harry, we need to get to the pitch." Ron said.

"I'll meet you there, all right?" Harry said, keeping my gaze locked in his.

I heard Ron mumble something under his breath, but he left and Harry pulled me down the hall into an empty classroom, and I sat down on one of the desks as he closed the door.

"I'm sorry," we both said at the same time.

"I'm a bitchy, whiney, spoiled girlfriend." I said.

"And I'm a moody, hot-headed, idiot boyfriend." He said with a smile.

I smiled at him and placed my hand against his cheek, pulling him down for a kiss.

After a sweet moment, Harry pulled away, brushing a strand of my hair away from my face. "I missed that," he said grinning widely.

"Me to," I said pulling him close. "But you need to go to the pitch."

"Continue with this later?" He said, teasing his fingers through my hair.

I nodded and kissed his cheek. "Go kick some Slytherin butt." I said.

He grinned at me and we left the classroom.

"You look like you're in a good mood." Hermione said as we made our way to our seats.

"Harry and I made up." I said.

"Thank goodness," Hermione replied, "I was getting tired of you two being so depressed all the time."

I shoved her playfully into her seat.

"Hey Emily!" Neville said sliding in beside me. Over the past couple of weeks, Neville had slowly gotten more comfortable talking to me.

"Hey Neville," I said as he slid in beside me.

"I thought you'd be over on the other side." He said.

"Well, I have to support my boyfriend don't I?" I told him.

Neville grinned.

"Emily, do you know what those badges are for?" Hermione asked me.

"What badges?" I asked her in confusion.

"The ones the Slytherin's are wearing." She said.

"What do they say?"

"Weasley is our King." She said, frowning.

"I don't know what it means, but it can't be anything good." I told her.

The whole entire game I was sitting on the edge of my seat, watching Harry to make sure nothing bad was happening. The Slytherin's had apparently come up with a song about how horrible Ron was, and it definitely didn't help him stop the Quaffle. I mean Ron hadn't been the most welcoming to me, but no one deserved that song, and I had a horrible feeling that Draco was going to try something on Harry while I wasn't around. "Look! I think Harry's seen the snitch!" My gaze followed Hermione's finger, pointing towards Harry who had just took a deep dive, my brother on his tail.

I let out a sigh of relief as Harry's fingers closed around the snitch and the whistle blew, but that relief was short lived as a bludger went flying and knocked him the last few feet off his broom. "Harry!" I didn't even wait for Hermione to catch up with me as I ran down the stairs and onto the field. "Are you all right?" I asked once I reached him.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I've had worse." Harry said as his team gathered around us, and I helped him sit up.

"That thug Crabbe hit the bludger after Madame Hooch blew the whistle, but we won, Harry, we won!" Angelina said as I wrapped Harry's arm around my shoulder and helped him to his feet.

"I'm fine Emily." Harry said taking his arm from my shoulders to wrap it more comfortably around my waist.

"Saved Weasley's neck, haven't you?" We turned around and faced my brother who was white-faced with rage. "I've never seen a worse Keeper . . . but then he was _born in a bin. _. . . Did you like my lyrics, Potter?"

Harry didn't answer just turned away to meet the rest of the team who were now landing one by one, yelling and punching the air in triumph, all except Ron, who had dismounted from his broom over by the goalposts and was making his way slowly back to the changing rooms alone.

"We wanted to write another couple of verses!" Draco called, as Katie and Alicia hugged Harry. "But we couldn't find rhymes for fat and ugly – we wanted to sing about his mother, see -"

"Don't respond. That's what he wants." I whispered in Harry's ear as his fists clenched.

"Talk about sour grapes," said Angelina, casting Draco a disgusted look.

"– We couldn't fit in _useless loser _either – for his father, you know -"

Fred and George had realized what Draco was talking about. Halfway through shaking Harry's hand they stiffened, looking around at Draco.

"Leave it," said Angelina at once, taking Fred by the arm. "Leave it Fred; let him yell, he's just sore he lost, the jumped-up little -"

"– but you like the Weasleys, don't you, Potter?" said Draco, sneering. "Spend holidays there and everything, don't you? Can't see how you stand the stink, but I suppose when you've been dragged up by Muggles even the Weasleys' hovel smells okay -"

Harry grabbed gold of George; meanwhile it was taking the combined efforts of Angelina, Alicia, and Katie to stop Fred leaping on Draco, who was laughing up. "Draco, seriously, _shut-the-hell-up," _I told him.

"Or perhaps," Draco continued, ignoring me. "You can remember what _your _mother's house stank like, Potter, and Weasley's pigsty reminds you of it -"

It didn't take Harry and George a second before they had my brother to the ground, punching every bit of him they could reach. "Harry! NO!" I started towards them to pull them away from each other, but before I could so much as take a step Madam Hooch had sent an Impediment Jinx towards them and sending them to McGonagall's office.

"What just happened?" Hermione said once she reached me.

"Come on, I'll explain on the way." I told her, not even bothering to glance at my brother as I passed.

Later that evening in the Gryffindor Common Room, everything was silent. Hermione was sitting in an armchair staring into the flames, and I ran my fingers through Harry's hair as he rested his head in my lap. "Have you seen Ron?" Hermione asked in a low voice.

We both shook our heads.

"I think he's avoiding us," said Hermione. "Where do you think he - ?"

But at that precise moment, there was a creaking sound behind them as the Fat Lady swung forward and Ron came clambering through the portrait hole. He was very pale indeed and there was snow in his hair. When he saw us he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Where have you been?" said Hermione anxiously, springing up.

"Walking," Ron mumbled. He was still wearing his Quidditch things.

"You look frozen," said Hermione. "Come and sit down!"

Ron walked to the fireside and sat down as far as he possibly could away from Harry and I, avoiding Harry's gaze as he sat up. "I'm sorry," Ron mumbled, looking at his feet.

"What for?" said Harry.

"For thinking I can play Quidditch," said Ron. "I'm going to resign first thing tomorrow."

"If you resign," said Harry testily, "There'll only be three players left on the team." And when Ron looked puzzled, he said, "I've been given a lifetime ban. So've Fred and George."

"What?" Ron yelped.

"I swear I'm going to kill him," I said as Hermione explained the story to Ron. "I never realized how much like his father he is!"

"I'm not objecting," Harry said.

I sighed and rested my head against his shoulder. "I feel horrible."

"Why? It's not your fault."

"Yeah, but he's my brother. I should have been telling him how much of an ass he is, then maybe his head would be deflated."

"I doubt it," Harry said reaching for my hand.

When Hermione finished the story, Ron looked worse than before. "This is all my fault -"

"You didn't _make_ me punch Malfoy," said Harry angrily to Ron.

"- If I wasn't so lousy at Quidditch-"

"-It's got nothing to do with that -"

"-It was that song that wound me up -"

"-It would've wound anyone up -"

"Look, drop it, will you!" Harry burst out. "It's bad enough without you blaming yourself for everything!"

Ron said nothing but sat gazing miserably at his robes. After a while he said in a dull voice. "This is the worst I've ever felt in my life."

"Join the club," said Harry bitterly.

"Well," said Hermione. "I can think of one thing that might cheer you both up."

"Oh yeah?" said Harry skeptically.

"Yeah," said Hermione. "Hagrid's back."

**A/N: Yah! Quick update! Emily and Harry are no longer fighting either! I hated having them fight, but unfortunately there are even worse things ahead. Please R & R!**


	13. Dog Days Are Over

"You'll never catch me alive Potter!" I yelled as I ducked behind my shield.

"Wanna bet, Black?" Came his reply from a few feet in front of me.

"Yes I do Pothead!" I replied.

"Pothead?" He said, peeking out from behind his fortress. "Really?"

"Sorry, my creative juices are not flowing today!" I yelled back at him, ducking behind my snow pile again.

I peeked over the top of my pile to gage the distance between my snow pile and his own before taking out my wand.

"_Bombarda!" _I whispered under my breath.

I laughed as his pile exploded covering him head to toe in snow.

"Hey! You said no magic!" He yelled at me, wiping the snow from his glasses.

"Slytherin!" I yelled, casting a shield charm before he could do the same to me.

"Okay! That's it!" He took off towards me.

I squealed and ran away as fast as I could towards the stone steps; unfortunately I was not fast enough. Harry's arms grabbed me around the waist and lifted me into the air.

"Harry! Stop it!" I yelled, trying to sound upset, but laughing uncontrollably as he spun me around. Suddenly, he lost his footing and we tumbled to the ground him on top of me.

"Oi! I'm a Prefect and if you don't keep it down out there -" Ron was interrupted by Fred and George, who were a few feet away, throwing snowballs at the window of Gryffindor Tower he had just stuck his head out of.

"Now, see, aren't you glad you're not up there?" I asked him.

Harry shook his head, grinning, getting ice all over my face.

"I hate you," I said simply.

He leaned down and kissed me intensely.

"No you don't," Harry said, pulling away.

"Hey," I said wrapping my arms around his neck. "I wasn't done kissing you yet." I pulled his lips down to mine.

"Get a room you two!" Fred and George yelled simultaneously, pelting us with snowballs.

"I believe they've just declared war," I said.

The snowball fight continued until we met with Ron and Hermione after lunch, who had spent the morning trying to plan Hagrid's lessons for him. They had all gone to visit Hagrid last night as soon as they saw him, while I volunteered to stay behind since I didn't know Hagrid that well. Also, there wasn't enough room under the Invisibility Cloak for all four of us.

"What have you two been doing? You're soaking wet!" Hermione fussed as soon as we walked in the Portrait Hole to the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Well, I wouldn't be soaked if someone hadn't exploded my fortress of snow." Harry said, playfully glaring at me as we sank down in front of the fire.

"And I wouldn't be soaking wet if someone hadn't tackled me." I said, pulling out my wand to perform a heat charm.

"So, how did it go with Hagrid?" Harry asked Hermione.

"Well, I tried," she said dully, sinking into a chair. "He wasn't even there when I arrived; I was knocking for at least half an hour. And then he came stumping out of the forest -"

Harry groaned. "What's he keeping in there? Did he say?" asked Harry swinging an arm around my shoulders as I finished drying myself off and sat next to him.

"No," said Hermione miserably. "He says he wants them to be a surprise. I tried to explain about Umbridge, but he just doesn't get it. He kept saying nobody in their right mind would rather study knarls than chimaeras – oh I don't think he's _got _a chimaera," she added at the appalled look on our faces."But that's not for lack of trying from what he said about how hard it is to get eggs. . . . I don't know how many times I told him he'd be better off following Grubbly-Plank's plan; I honestly don't think he listened to half of what I said. He's in a bit of a funny mood, you know. He still won't say how he got all those injuries. . . ."

I buried my face in Harry's shoulder, absolutely dreading Tuesday when we had that class. I knew I couldn't say that to Harry, though, because he was very protective of Hagrid, and I really didn't like fighting with him. It's not that there was anything wrong with Hagrid, but after the Blast-Ended Skrewts last year, well I think its okay to say I was a little wary.

So, warily, Tuesday we all made our way to Hagrid's, heavily muffled against the cold. Harry had also informed me that Umbridge was going to be monitoring the lesson. It had been taking everything I had not to punch her in the face for what she said to me a few weeks back; most classes Harry literally had to hold me down, and I don't know how well I'll be able to hold up at this one.

However, she was nowhere to be seen as we made our way to Hagrid who stood waiting for us on the edge of the forest. He looked slightly surprised when he saw me approaching with the Trio, my hand connected with Harry's, but he didn't say anything.

"Didn't have a chance to tell Hagrid?" I whispered in his ear.

He gave me a guilty smile.

"We're workin' in here today!" Hagrid called happily to the approaching students, jerking his head back at the dark trees behind him. "Bit more sheltered! Anyway, they prefer the dark. . . ."

"What prefers the dark?" Draco said sharply to Crabbe and Goyle, a trace of panic in his voice. "What did he say prefers the dark – did you hear?"

"Ready?" asked Hagrid happily, looking around at the class. "Right, well, I've bin savin' a trip inter the forest fer yer fifth year. Thought we'd go an' see these creatures in their natural habitat. Now, what we're studyin' today is pretty rare, I reckon I'm probably the on'y person in Britain who's managed ter train 'em -"

"And you're sure they're trained, are you?" said Draco, the panic in his voice even more pronounced. "Only it wouldn't be the first time you'd brought wild stuff to class, would it?"

Although I hated to admit it, Draco had a point.

"'Course they're trained," said Hagrid, scowling and hoisting the dead cow a little higher on his shoulder.

"So what happened to your face then?" demanded Draco.

"Mind yer own business!" said Hagrid, angrily. "Now if yeh've finished askin' stupid questions, follow me!"

"What did happen to his face?" I whispered in Harry's ear.

Harry shrugged, "He wouldn't tell us."

Hagrid turned around and started walking into the forest. Harry looked at Ron and Hermione, who sighed, but nodded, and the four of us set off after Hagrid, leading the rest of the class. It started getting darker and darker the further we walked and I grabbed a hold of Harry's arm tightly, making sure to only stare at Hagrid's form straight ahead.

"Emily?" Harry said after a moment.

"Yeah?" I replied quietly.

"You're going to take my arm off." He said simply.

I loosened on my grip on his arm slightly, "Sorry." I mumbled and moved my hand down to entwine with his. "I don't like the dark." I said in reply to his inquisitive look.

"Malfoy doesn't either," He said, "Any particular reason why?"

I blocked the memories before they could start. "I'll tell you one day," I replied simply, closing the subject.

"I can't believe you got detention again!" Hermione practically yelled at me as we left Care of Magical Creatures.

I shrugged without remorse. "She was being a bitch. Even you can't argue with that Hermione," I said plainly.

"Yes, but to say Hagrid was 'blinded by her hideousness'?" Ron and Harry sniggered and Hermione shot them a look. "Don't you think that was a little over the top?"

"Not particularly," I replied.

"Tell me why I'm helping you with this again?" Harry asked me, his wand pointing at one end of the tinsel while mine pointed at the other, placing it in the air.

"Because, it has to be done, and I did _not _want to be stuck doing it with my arse of a brother." I replied, and then smiled at him. "And because you love me."

Harry snorted, causing me to punch him in the arm.

"Ouch!" He exclaimed, dropping the tinsel to rub his arm where I hit him.

"You deserved that one," I told him as he glared at me. "Well, you did."

He continued to glower at me.

I sighed and uncrossed his arms, placing my hands against his chest. "Anybody ever tell you you're a rather irritable person?"

"You know this isn't the best way to apologize to your boyfriend you physically abused," He told me, joking this time as he wrapped his arms around my waist.

I rolled my eyes. "That was definitely not abuse," I slapped his chest playfully. "That might be considered abuse though."

"What was the difference between that hit and the first hit?" Harry asked.

"Like I said, you deserved the first one," I told him. "Now, the sooner you help me get this done, the sooner we can go get that Potions essay done and then we can relax before the D.A. meeting tonight." I pulled myself out of his arms and picked up my wand.

"So, are you excited to spend Christmas at Grimmauld Place?" He asked me as we continued hanging tinsel.

I shrugged, "I guess so. I'll get to know Sirius a little better, that stupid elf is going to get on my nerves though."

"I'm sure Sirius wouldn't mind if you killed him," Harry replied.

"Probably not," I said flicking my wand to hold the tinsel in place. "I wish you were coming though, and I'm sure Sirius does to."

"Well, I'm hoping I can convince Mrs. Weasley to invite you two over for Christmas, because I want to give you your present in person," He said with a smirk.

Harry had been bugging me for the past week about what he had gotten me for Christmas, mostly because I refused to tell him what I got him for Christmas.

"Me to," I replied, smirking just as widely as him.

"Did you end up finding something for Hermione?" He asked.

"Yeah, girly things you wouldn't be interested in," I told him.

"Hermione and girl things? I don't know if you've noticed this, but Hermione's not really into girl things."

"Just because Hermione doesn't walk around fixing her make-up every few seconds and wearing high heels doesn't mean she hates girl things that make her feel nice," I scolded. "Do you not remember how happy she was at the Yule Ball?"

"I thought that was because of Viktor Krum?"

"That's part of it, but if you look great and you know it, it does put you in a better mood, and girls like feeling good about themselves," I said.

Harry shook his head, "You girls are confusing." He said.

I raised my eyebrows at him. "Girls are confusing? Have you looked in the mirror lately?"

"What's so confusing about me?" He asked.

"Besides your mood swings that give everyone whiplash?" I teased.

"_My _mood swings?"

I was saved the trouble of responding by Hermione and Ron joining us. "Are you guys not done yet?"

"She keeps distracting me," Harry said at the same time I said "He keeps distracting me."

Hermione just rolled her eyes.

When Harry, Ron, Hermione and I walked into the Room of Requirement, Ron, Hermione and I could not help but burst into laughter. It seemed Dobby had decorated the place for Christmas. We would tell it was Dobby because nobody else would have strung a hundred golden baubles from the ceiling, each showing a picture of Harry's face and bearing the legend HAVE A VERY HARRY CHRISTMAS!

Which is why, when Luna Lovegood arrived, Harry was chasing me around the room trying to steal the last bauble from my hand.

"Come on, Harry, just leave _one _up. Wouldn't Dobby be so disappointed if he saw you took them down?"

"Em, give it to me right now!"

I really needed to start remembering how fast he was; he caught up to me and wrapped his arms around me, taking the bauble out of my hand.

"You're no fun." I pouted turning in his arms to face him.

"Mistletoe," said Luna dreamily, pointing at a large clump of white berries placed over our heads.

Harry and I looked up with a small smile and I wrapped my arms around his neck as he leaned down to give me a sweet kiss.

A loud throat clearing broke us apart, and we turned to find Ron, Hermione, Luna, Fred, George, Angelina, Katie, Alicia, Cho Chang, and her friend staring at us all with different expressions on their faces.

"What? You guys act like you haven't seen two people kiss before," I said, pushing the blush threatening to expose how embarrassed I really was down.

Harry wasn't so lucky avoiding everybody's eyes, especially Fred and George who were sniggering in the background.

I quickly stepped out of Harry's arms and sat down on a cushion beside Hermione.

"So what's the book you're reading today?" I asked her.

She snorted, "Nice change of subject."

I shrugged.

"Okay," Harry said, calling us all to order once everyone had arrived. "I thought this evening we should just go over the things we've done so far, because it's the last meeting before the holidays and there's no point starting anything new right before a three-week break -"

"We're not doing anything new?" said Zacharias Smith, in a disgruntled whisper loud enough to carry through the room. "If I'd known that, I wouldn't have come. . . ."

I turned around to glare at him. "Yo, Smith, do you have some mental illness that makes you physically incapable of shutting your mouth? Because seriously, you should get some medication if you do."

Several people sniggered.

"We can practice in pairs," said Harry, ignoring my comment. "We'll start with the Impediment Jinx, just for ten minutes, then we can get out the cushions and try stunning again."

We all divided up, and as usual I was left with Neville. Before the end of the hour though Neville managed to stun Padma Patil, of course he was aiming at me, but hey, that's better than nothing.

"You're getting really good," Harry said once he had blown the whistle, beaming around at us. "When we get back from the holidays we can start doing some of the big stuff – maybe even Patronuses."

There was a murmur of excitement as the room began to clear.

"What do you think your Patronus is?" Hermione asked me as we watched the Marauder's Map to make sure everyone got to their dorm safely.

I shrugged, "I honestly have no clue. What about you?"

"Me either," Hermione said.

I looked back to see where Harry was and found him and Cho Chang talking, I was about to come over to pull him away when Cho leaned forward and gave him a kiss on the cheek before leaving him. I gave Hermione a weird look before walking over to Harry, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"What was that about?" I asked gesturing towards the closing door.

He smiled at me, "Nothing, she was just saying you don't have to be worried about her anymore."

I scoffed, "I-I was never worried about her."

"Sure," He said sarcastically leaning down to kiss me.

I shoved him away slightly after a moment, "You have to go." I said when he groaned. "You have to pack for the Weasley's tomorrow."

He sighed, "All right, I'll see you at breakfast okay?"

"Okay, goodnight," I said, kissing him on the cheek.

"Goodnight," He replied, walking out the door.

**A/N: Sorry this took so long hope you'll forgive me since this chapter is super long. Hope you enjoy please read a review. I want at least five reviews before I update again. And a huge thanks to my BETA MaraudersLiveOnAsAnimagus for correcting this chapter. R & R Please!**


	14. Bloodstream

When I woke up the next morning, I quickly dressed in a purple, lace long-sleeved blouse with a sweep neckline, a matching tank top underneath, and some dark skinny jeans, curling my hair in waves after I got out of the shower. Almost as soon as I shut my lid to my trunk, Hermione stormed into the room.

"Harry and Ron are gone," She said.

"What?" I said, dropping the lid of my trunk on my finger. "Shoot!" I exclaimed, looking at my finger which was now bent back at an odd angle, trying to hold back tears at the pain.

"Here," she grabbed my hand and took out her wand. "_Episkey_," she said, pointing to my finger.

"Ouch!" I yelled as my finger snapped back into place, "Now, what about Harry and Ron?"

"They've left! Neville told me this morning that Harry got sick and now him and all the Weasley's have left!"

"That doesn't make any sense!" I said.

"I know! But when I was leaving to come tell you, Professor Dumbledore caught me and said for me to get you and then meet him in his office," She said.

"Well, what are we still doing here then?" I quickly shrunk my trunk small enough to fit into my pocket, grabbed Hermione's arm as I headed out my door.

We practically ran to Dumbledore's office, only pausing once Hermione pulled me to a stop, putting a finger to her lips as a familiar voice reached us.

"Professor, I do not understand why this is such a difficult question for you to answer. As High Inquisitor of Hogwarts -"

"And, High Inquisitor of Hogwarts, it is the first day of break. Students who have returned to their homes for the holidays are no longer your concern, Madame Umbridge. Now, if you will excuse me -" Professor Dumbledore's voice replied and the sound of stones moving signified his return to his office.

Hermione and I barely managed to take cover behind a tapestry as Umbridge stormed past furiously. We both looked at each other for a moment until we were sure she was gone, and then ran the rest of the way to Dumbledore's office.

"Ah, Ms. Granger, Ms. Black, thank you for joining me," Professor Dumbledore said when we entered his office.

"Professor, where's Harry?" I asked, getting straight to the point.

"He's at Grimmauld Place with the rest of the Weasley's," He answered.

"But I thought he was staying at the Weasley's?" Hermione asked.

"Mr. Weasley was gravely injured on Order business last night and is currently in St. Mungo's Hospital. It is more convenient for everyone to stay at Grimmauld Place since it is closer."

"Is Harry alright? Hermione told me that Neville said he was sick -"

Professor Dumbledore was nodding before I could finish. "He's fine, physically, Ms. Black -"

"What do you mean physically?" I interrupted.

"We don't have much time to tell you the details Ms. Black; you have to get going before Professor Umbridge comes after you to," He stood up and handed me a pot filled with Floo Powder. "I believe you know how this works," He said simply.

I nodded and took the powder, hurrying into his fireplace and saying, "Number Twelve Grimmauld Place," as I threw the powder into the flames.

I stumbled out of the fireplace, landing painfully on my knees.

"I really need to stop injuring myself," I mumbled, brushing myself off.

"Yes, we definitely do not need another trip to St. Mungo's," I heard Sirius say as his arm gripped my elbow and he lifted me to my feet.

"Where's Harry?" I said. I had to make sure he was all right.

"He's upstairs, but -"

I didn't bother listening to the rest of his sentence. I ran upstairs to the room he had stayed in last Summer, knocking briefly before opening the door.

"Emily?" Harry said quietly when I walked in. I quickly went to his bed and climbed next to him.

"Are you all right?" I asked, taking his face in my hands. He shook his head.

I wrapped my arms around his neck pulling him into me, my fingers running gently through his soft hair. His arms wrapped around me, pulling me onto his lap as he buried his face in my neck. I just held him as he clinged to me. He didn't cry, but I knew he wouldn't. He was really upset about Mr. Weasley though.

"Let's go to another room, all right?" I said, kissing the top of his head. I had just noticed Ron in the corner, not snoring, tipping me off that he was definitely awake.

Harry nodded, and I climbed out of his lap taking his hand and pulling him into a room downstairs. In it was a couch, which I pulled him to, sitting down and patting the seat next to me as he slid in, squeezing my hand tightly.

"So, tell me what happened last night," I said.

He sighed, and then started to tell me about his vision last night. When he finished, I honestly didn't know what to say. How could Harry have seen what was happening with Voldemort? Was their connection really that strong?

About that time, Mrs. Weasley called us down to lunch where everyone's Hogwarts trunks, except mine, which was still in my pocket, had arrived. Everyone was happy and cheery at the fact that Mr. Weasley was all right, but Harry was still upset at himself and worried that he might attack someone if he went to sleep, which I thought was rather ridiculous.

The Weasley's and Harry all decided to go to the hospital after lunch while I elected to stay behind and keep Sirius company.

"I'm worried about him, Sirius," I said as I watched him feed Buckbeak. "He won't go to sleep because he's afraid he's going to attack someone."

"Sounds like Harry," Sirius replied.

"I don't know how to help him," I said, frustrated.

"I think you're doing a pretty good job already," Sirius said, shooting me a quick grin.

"It's weird you know. The only person I've ever had to comfort is Draco. I'm not exactly sure how to do it with anyone else," I said.

"I think your underestimating yourself. Harry seems kind-of lost without you now," Sirius said. "When he got here this morning he couldn't even talk, and now at least he's speaking."

I shrugged and stared out the window.

As soon as everyone came home from the hospital, I heard Harry run up to his room and everyone else came into the kitchen. "Is Harry all right?" I asked Mrs. Weasley.

"He's fine dear, he just looked a bit pale, and so I sent him on to bed."

Well, Mrs. Weasley may have thought that, but by the look on Ron's face, I knew there was more to the story.

"Oh, well I'm just going to get a start on my homework. I'll see you guys later," I said quickly, quietly making my way back upstairs to Harry's room.

"Fine, go then!" I heard Harry bellow. "And tell Dumbledore thanks for nothing!"

I heard a dragging noise and then silence. I opened the door slightly to find Harry facedown upon his moth-eaten covers with his eyes shut, not even bothering to take his glasses off. I took a few steps inside, and when he didn't say anything, I closed his door and sat beside him on the bed, once again running my fingers through his hair.

"Rough day?" I teased.

"Voldemort's possessing me." He said simply.

"What?" Was all I could manage to get out of my mouth as my hand froze in his hair.

"At the hospital, Moody said Voldemort was possessing me, so go ahead, and run away from me like everyone else."

That brought me out of my shock.

"Harry, Voldemort's not possessing you," I said simply. "He would have mentioned to the Death Eaters if he could do something like that. Do you realize it would have been so much easier to kill you if he could possess you?"

"Maybe he just figured it out and he's trying to drag it out slowly." Harry said, still not believing me. I rolled my eyes.

"If Voldemort is possessing you, you would not be able to remember anything that has been happening to you. Do you remember everything that has been going on?"

He nodded.

"Then you haven't been possessed."

"But, how do you know about this?" He asked.

"Ginny Weasley and the diary, remember? She was being possessed. Father told Draco and me that she wouldn't remember a thing," I said.

"You knew Ginny was being possessed in second year, and you didn't tell anyone?" Harry said, turning over on his back to stare at me in disbelief.

I shook my head, "Of course not! Father told us when we came back from school and we asked why he got kicked off the school board."

"Oh . . ." He muttered, his cheeks coloring slightly.

"You know, Mrs. Weasley's right, you should get some sleep," I told him.

"I don't think I can," He said.

I sighed and laid down beside him, placing my head against his chest.

"Well, if you're not going to get some sleep, I am," I said, closing my eyes.

After a couple of moments I felt him gently caressing my back with his hand up and down tenderly in the same motion, making me sigh . . .

The next morning, I woke up early still wrapped in Harry's arms. I slid out carefully and made my way to the bathroom in mine and Ginny's room. Ginny was snoring loudly, and I had realized over our brief stint of sharing the same room, that you could probably set a bomb off and she wouldn't wake up.

I quickly took a shower and pulled on a purple sweater that fell off my shoulders and some straight-legged jeans, charming my hair straight.

"What are you doing up?" Sirius asked me when he came down the stairs and found me cooking some eggs.

"Thinking," I said simply.

"Don't hurt yourself," He teased.

I rolled my eyes. "I just realized something, and I need your help," I told him.

Sirius raised his eyebrows.

"I don't have Harry anything for Christmas, and I have no idea what to do, because I have no money and no means to get him something -"

Sirius stopped me by holding up his hand with a mischievous grin. "I have an idea. Meet me here at five, okay?"

"All right?" I said, giving him an odd look.

At that moment Mrs. Weasley walked in and scolded me for cooking. "Honestly, Mrs. Weasley, I like cooking, and you need to rest anyway."

"Are you sure you don't mind?" She said.

"Of course not," I said.

"Well if you're sure, thank you dear," She said.

"No problem," I said, piling some eggs onto her plate.

"I'm going to take some to Harry. He's really tired," I said, putting some on a plate and grabbing some pumpkin juice.

"That's fine, dear," Mrs. Weasley said.

I climbed back up to Harry's room, passing Ron on the way, and found Harry still asleep, clutching a pillow in my absence. I had to bite back a giggle.

I put his plate on top of his bedside table and took the pillow out of his hands. "I brought you breakfast." I whispered in his ear.

His eyes opened slowly, and he took his glasses out of my hands.

"You didn't have to do that," He said, sitting up and taking the eggs I offered him.

I shrugged. "I was all ready up, and I didn't think you would want to face anyone downstairs this morning."

Harry didn't say anything.

As told, I met Sirius downstairs in the kitchen at exactly five o'clock, surprised to find Remus Lupin in his company.

"So, what exactly is this plan you have?" I asked, looking at both of them curiously.

"Remus and I are going to accompany you to Hogsmeade on the Knight Bus to go get Harry a Christmas present," Sirius said with a grin.

"Sirius, you're not allowed to leave the house, and I have no money -"

"I thought you'd be up for a little adventure? I traveled around Hogsmeade all last year as Snuffles and no one recognized me. I'll be fine, and here," He shoved a bag of money in my hands, "That should take care of it. I had Remus take it out."

"Sirius, I can't possibly accept this," Malfoy women were trained not to accept help from anyone.

"I'm your guardian and I'm telling you to take it. Now, let's go before Molly catches wind of this," Sirius said, and Lupin shot him a look of disapproval as he changed into Snuffles. He obviously didn't approve of this idea either.

I rolled my eyes, but followed Remus and Sirius out the door quietly, smiling slightly. Everything I had been told about Sirius when he escaped was that he was a mass murderer and a blood traitor that deserved everything he got. It was nice to know that he was the complete opposite.

The guy on the Knight Bus wasn't very happy about having Snuffles with us, but he didn't say anything as Lupin paid for us and we sat in the back. I had never ridden on the Knight bus before, and it was the weirdest bus I had ever seen.

"Have you ever been on the Knight bus before?" Lupin asked me when we sat down at some benches in the back.

I shook my head.

Snuffles gave me a look I could only describe as a grin.

"Then, I would suggest holding on," Lupin said to me, giving me only seconds to grab onto the window sill before it shot off.

"I think I'm going to be sick," I said when the bus finally stopped. I hadn't talked the whole ride for fear of throwing up.

Snuffles barked, which sounded suspiciously like laughter, and Remus patted my shoulder sympathetically.

"We will find him something eventually," Lupin consoled me after we left Zonko's.

We had been to just about every store in Hogsmeade, and I had yet to find Harry anything. Everything I picked up just seemed worse than the last. It was driving me crazy.

"Why do guys have to be so difficult to shop for?" I said, exasperated.

"Women are just as difficult as men," Lupin said.

"I can argue that point," I said when something in a window caught my gaze.

It was a watch, but instead of having numbers around the sides it had various Quidditch balls and around the leather on the watch was various snitches that apparently were charmed to move across the watch every hour.

I looked at Sirius and Remus who had stopped to see what I was looking at. "Do you think he'll like it?" I asked them.

They both grinned at me.

**A/N: Sorry this took so long hope you'll forgive me since this chapter is even longer than the last one. Hope you enjoy please read and review. I want at least five reviews before I update again. And a huge thanks to my BETA MaraudersLiveOnAsAnimagus for correcting this chapter. R & R Please!**

**Hope you guys have a great rest of the holiday!**


	15. I Promise You

To my surprise, we made it back to Grimmauld Place without any problems. When we walked inside, Sirius quickly changed back into himself, acting as if we had been there the entire time. I quickly ran upstairs, hoping Harry hadn't noticed my - I looked down at my watch - three hour absence.

Crap.

When I reached Harry and Ron's room though I found it full of much more people than I was expecting.

"Oh, I'm sorry for interrupting. I'll leave," I said, backing out of the room slowly.

"Don't be ridiculous," Hermione said, grabbing my arm and pulling me into the room. "We were just telling Harry how stupid he's being, hiding up here away from everyone."

"Sounds exciting," I said, sitting beside Harry. "I'm just in time for the slandering."

"Very funny," snapped Harry, turning away.

I punched him in the arm.

"Ow!"

"Oh, stop feeling all misunderstood," said Hermione sharply. "Look, the others have told me what you overheard last night on the Extendable Ears -"

"Yeah?" growled Harry, his hands deep in his pockets as he watched the snow now falling thickly outside. "All been talking about me, have you? Well, I'm getting used to it. . . ."

"We wanted to talk _to you,_ Harry," said Ginny. "But, as you've been hiding ever since we got back -"

"I didn't want anyone to talk to me," said Harry.

"Yeah, except her," Ginny said, sending a snide look at me.

I rolled my eyes, "Green isn't a good color for you Weasley," I said simply, lying down on the bed.

"Listen, Harry, Voldemort hasn't possessed you. Ginny said you wouldn't remember what you had been doing, and you do, right?" Hermione said.

"Yeah, but that dream I had about your dad and the snake, though -"

"Harry, you've had those dreams before," Hermione said. "You had flashes of what Voldemort was up to last year."

"This was different," said Harry, shaking his head. "I was inside that snake. It was like I _was _the snake. . . . What if Voldemort somehow transported me to London -"

"One day," said Hermione, sounding thoroughly exasperated, "you'll read _Hogwarts, A History, _and perhaps that will remind you that you can't Apparate or Disapparate inside Hogwarts. Even Voldemort couldn't just make you fly out of your dormitory, Harry."

"You didn't leave your bed, mate," said Ron. "I saw you thrashing around in your sleep about a minute before we could wake you up. . . ."

After a couple of seconds, Harry grabbed a sandwich and began eating, a look of relief on his face. "Hey," he said, looking at me. "Where have you been?"

"Emily, are you awake?" A voice whispered in my ear.

"No," I murmured, shoving at whoever had just sat down on my bed.

"Come on, it's Christmas morning, and I want to give you your Christmas present," Harry continued to whisper, kissing my cheek softly.

I groaned, but sat up. "Fine, just give one second to get yours," I said, bending over the side of my bed to grab his gift. "Let's go downstairs, maybe the fire will still be going." I said, hugging myself to keep warm.

Thankfully, the fire was still going, and I sat down in front of it, leaning against the back of the couch.

"Here, you go first," I said, handing him the box as I curled up, bringing my knees to my chest. "And you better like it, because it took _forever _to pick it out."

Harry grinned at me as he opened the box, then a brighter smile showed on his face as he saw the watch. "Emily, this is great, I really needed a watch. Mine hasn't worked since the second task. Where did you get it? I've never seen one like this before."

"A witch never reveals her secrets," I said, relief flooding my stomach at how excited he actually seemed.

He snapped it around his wrist, and it magically readjusted itself to a length comfortable for him. "Thanks Em," he said, leaning forward to kiss me on the cheek.

"You're welcome," I said, suddenly feeling much warmer at his touch.

"It isn't as good as yours, but here," Harry said handing me a velvet box, the universal sign of jewelry.

I slowly opened the box to find a gold necklace with two hearts entwined with each other. The first heart had Harry's name and an emerald stone on the edge, the second one had my name and an aquamarine stone. I bit my cheek.

"It's beautiful, Harry," I said, stroking the hearts with my finger.

"I'm glad you like it," Harry said, relief coming across his face as well.

"Well?" I said, staring at him playfully, and handing the necklace back to him. "Are you going to put it on me?" I asked.

He took the necklace out of the box and took my shoulders and turned my back to him. "Hold your hair," he told me, and I took it all into one hand, shivering when one of the cold chains touched my neck.

"Thank you," I said when his hands slid down my neck to wrap around my waist, pulling me against his chest. "Hmmm…" I mumbled, cuddling into him, "you're warm," I said, closing my eyes.

He placed his chin on top of my head. "You can go to sleep now; I'll take you back up to your room." Harry said.

"You don't have to do that, I can walk," I said sluggishly.

Without another word, he put his arm under my knees and lifted me off the couch.

The next thing I know, a pillow is being thrown at my head. "Ouch! 'Mione! Was that really necessary?"

"Yes! I want to see what Harry got you," Hermione said, jumping on my bed.

I groaned, but sat up, checking Weasley's bed to make sure she was gone before reaching under the neck of my t-shirt and pulling out the chain then the charm and putting it into her palm.

"Oh! That's gorgeous! I can't believe he picked out something that good!" Hermione said with wide eyes, turning it over in her palm.

"You mean you didn't help him pick it out?" I asked.

Hermione shook her head.

"Wow, now I'm even more impressed," I said, looking down at my necklace.

Hermione laughed, "Did he wake you up to give it to you?" She asked.

I nodded.

"Awww . . . And thank you so much for your present! I'm afraid I don't know how to use some of it though . . ."

I smiled at her. "I'll show you, don't worry, you have a girl friend to do girl stuff with now, remember?"

She smiled at me.

Once we were dressed, Hermione in a black and gray sweater with a ruffled jean skirt I got her, and myself in a light purple, pleated, long sleeved top and a mid thigh length, black, silk skirt, we met the boys on the way downstairs.

"Thanks for the book, Harry!" Hermione said happily. "I've been wanting that _New Theory of Numerology _for ages! And that perfume is really unusual, Ron."

"No problem," said Ron, who seemed to be slightly distracted by the amount of leg Hermione was showing. "Who's that for, anyway?" he added, nodding at the neatly wrapped present she was carrying.

While Hermione explained about the present, I gave Harry a hug. "Happy Christmas," I whispered in his ear.

"Happy Christmas," He replied, kissing my cheek. "You know what else today is?" He said, moving back to meet my gaze.

I raised my eyebrows, thinking for a moment before a smile crossed my face. "It's been a year already?"

Harry nodded.

I was about to give him a kiss when Ron cleared his throat loudly. "Are you guys coming?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.

A slight blush crept onto Harry's cheek as we nodded. "Where are we going?" He asked.

"Kreacher's bedroom," Ron replied, shaking his head in disbelief at Hermione.

"What bedroom?" said Harry, dropping his voice to a whisper as we passed the portrait of Sirius's mother.

"Well, Sirius says it's not so much a bedroom, more a kind of – _den_," said Hermione. "Apparently he sleeps under the boiler in that cupboard off the kitchen."

Mrs. Weasley was the only person in the basement when we arrived there. She was standing at the stove and sounded as though she had a bad head cold when she wished us Merry Christmas, and we all averted our eyes. Apparently, according to Fred and George, Ron's other brother, Percy, had sent his Weasley sweater back.

"So, this is Kreacher's bedroom?" said Ron, strolling over to a dingy door in the corner opposite the pantry which Harry had never seen open.

"Yes, said Hermione, now sounding a little nervous. "Er . . . I think we'd better knock . . ."

Ron rapped the door with his knuckles but there was no reply.

"Okay, he's not here, can we go?" I asked, impatiently.

"He must be sneaking around upstairs," Ron said, and without further ado pulled open the door, "_Urgh_."

We all peered inside, and I gagged as the smell hit me. I quickly withdrew my gaze and backed away from the door, holding my nose.

"I think I'll just leave his present here," said Hermione, laying the package neatly in the middle of the depression in the rags and blankets and closing the door quietly. "He'll find it later, that'll be fine. . . ."

"Come to think of it," said Sirius, emerging from the pantry carrying a large turkey as she closed the cupboard door, "has anyone actually seen Kreacher lately?"

"I haven't seen him since the night we came back here," said Harry. "You were ordering him out of the kitchen."

"Yeah . . ." said Sirius, frowning. "You know, I think that's the last time I saw him too. . . . He must be hiding upstairs somewhere. . . ."

"He couldn't have left, could he?" said Harry. "I mean, when you said 'out,' maybe he thought you meant, get out of the house?"

"No, no, house-elves can't leave unless they're given clothes, they're tied to their family's house," said Sirius.

"They can leave the house if they really want to," Harry contradicted him.

"Dobby did," I said. "He had to punish himself afterwards, but he did."

Sirius looked concerned for a moment, and then said, "I'll look for him later, I expect I'll find him upstairs crying his eyes out over my mother's old bloomers or something. . . . Of course, he might have crawled into the airing cupboard and died. . . . But I mustn't get my hopes up. . . ."

"So are you going with the Weasley's to St. Mungo's?" I asked Harry later as we settled down to lunch.

"Yeah, you can come with us, you know," He said to me.

I shook my head, "I don't know him that well, it would be too awkward. Plus, I'm not family."

"I'm not family either," Harry said.

"You're as good as," I said simply. "You saved his life."

Harry groaned, "I wish people would stop saying that," He said.

"Well, you did, so you might as well get used to hearing it," I told him.

"So, what are you going to do while we're gone?" Harry asked, changing the subject.

I took a bite of the delicious turkey in front of me. "Probably finish up my Arithmacy essay, and then read a little. What time do you think you'll get back?"

"Around five probably, after that I'm yours for the rest of the night," Harry said.

"You promise?" I said.

"I swear," He said.

"So, how did Harry like his Christmas present?" Sirius asked me while tossing Buckbeak a rat.

"I think he really liked it. Thanks for helping me pick it out, Sirius," I said. "I swear I'll pay you back for it as soon as I can."

"Don't worry about it, I've never really cared about it much and since you are hopefully soon to be my 'adopted child', you can take as much as you like," He replied.

I smiled, "Thanks."

"How did you like your necklace?" Sirius asked with a small, knowing smile.

I raised my eyebrows at him. "How did you -" It took a second for it to click. "Ah, I knew Harry never could have picked out something that beautiful by himself."

"I didn't help much. He picked out the necklace. I basically just had to help him decide what gems to put in." Sirius said.

I shook my head with a small smile. "Great minds think alike, I suppose," I said.

We stood in a silence for a few minutes, only broken by the sound of Buckbeak munching on the bones of the rats. "I can't wait to get out of here," Sirius said throwing the hippogriff one last rat.

"It is rather depressing," I said, looking around, "Reminds me of my house, a little bit dirtier of course." I slid my finger across a desk, looking in disgust at the dust on my finger before wiping it off on the edge of my shirt.

"Now you know why I want out," Sirius said, looking around. "Where do you want to live?" He asked me.

I shrugged, searching back through my memories to when I was happiest. "I've always loved the beach. My parents took us once, after third year. Something about the ocean is just so calming, you know?" I smiled slightly. "What about you?"

Sirius smiled, looking out the window. "I don't know. I just want to go somewhere I haven't been. The beach sounds nice though. I can't remember the last time I've been out in the sun."

"I can't imagine being stuck in this house. I would go insane," I said, looking around.

"Most people seem to assume I already have," Sirius said with a smirk.

I laughed. "I've lived in the same house as Death Eaters. I know what insane is, and you are definitely not it, maybe a little confused," I teased.

"Hilarious," he said sarcastically.

Suddenly, there was a small knock at the door, and Harry's voice whispered, "Emily?"

"Yeah, I'm here," I said.

The door opened and Harry stuck his head through the opening. "Come on, I'm kidnapping you," He said with a grin.

I gave him a weird look, "Okay . . ." I said. "I'll see you later, Sirius," I told him.

Harry could barely hold back his eagerness at trying to get me out of the room. "In a hurry, are we?" I asked as he practically shoved me down the stairs.

"I want to get there before Kreacher messes it up," He replied.

"Messes what -" He opened a darkly lit room and pulled me inside, shutting the door behind me.

The room was covered in candles and in the middle there was a blanket that had a picnic basket sitting on it.

"Harry, this is too much," I said. "You didn't have to do all this. You didn't have to do anything actually."

"Yes, I did. It's our one year," He said, pulling me over to the blanket and sitting down. "It's not much, but at least it's something."

I sat down in his lap wrapping my arms around his neck. "You are officially the best boyfriend in the whole entire world."

He wrapped one arm around my back and the other on top of my knee, rubbing it slightly. "Do I get a reward for that?" He asked with a small grin.

"Depends on how good the food is," I replied with a smirk.

**A/N: Sorry this took forever, but I hope you enjoyed it! Thanks to my BETA MaraudersLiveOnAsAnimagus for correcting this chapter. Thanks to everyone that reviewed the last chapter, and I need at least five more reviews before I start working on the new chapter. P.S. "the Sharpest Lives" now has a Facebook page! Please go and like it, here's the link. .com/#!/pages/The-Sharpest-Lives/114502391953235**


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